2008 contributions: $307.65 billion by type of recipient organization
($ in billions – All figures are rounded)

International affairs $13.30

4%
Environment/animals
$6.58

2%

Arts, culture, and humanities
$12.79
4%

Foundation grants
to individuals*
$3.71
1%

Gifts to
grantmaking
foundations*
$32.65
11%

Unallocated
giving
$19.39
6%

Religion
$106.89
35%

Public-society benefit
$23.88
8%

Health
$21.64
7%

Human
services
$25.88
9%

Education
$40.94
13%

*Foundation Center and Giving USA estimate.

 

Total charitable giving reached an estimated $307.65 billion. This includes contributions to nine types of charitable organizations, using nonprofit definitions from the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities. It also includes grants awarded to individuals, which are reported here for the first time in Giving USA, as well as a portion of giving that could not be allocated to a recipient type.

The estimated $106.89 billion to religion is 35 percent of the total giving. This is a slight increase from the share reported in 2008 for giving in 2007, when giving to religion was

33 percent of the total.

Giving to education, estimated to be $40.94 billion and 13 percent of the total, is down from 14 percent reported in 2008 for giving in 2007.

Human services charities received an estimated $25.88 billion in contributions in 2008, which is less than was estimated for 2007. The 2008 amount is rounded at 9 percent of total giving, down from nearly 10 percent reported in 2008 for giving in 2007.