Giving to human services, 1968–2008
($ in billions)

27. 46

25. 88

20. 54

23. 47

14. 29

14. 89

13. 94

13.02

15. 55

10. 59

10. 19

8. 74

4. 22

4. 90

5. 60

2. 31 1968

3.07

1973

Current dollars Inflation-adjusted dollars

1978

1983

1988

1993

1998

2003

2008

 

Giving to human services has increased a great deal, particularly since the mid-1990s.

In 1988, the inflation-adjusted amount given to human services ($10.19 billion) divided by the number of American households ( 91. 12 million, using Current Population Survey data from the Census Bureau) results in an estimate of giving to human services of $112 (adjusted for inflation) per household.

In a similar calculation including giving from all donor types, by 1998, the number of households had grown to 102. 53 million and the per household average gift to human services had risen to $200. For 2008, with total estimated giving from all sources to human services of $25.88 billion and approximately 116. 78 million households, donations to human services have increased to an average $222 per household.

The calculations for “per household” giving to human services include all households, even those that do not give to human services. They also include all human services giving, including that from corporations, foundations, and through charitable bequests. This allows for comparison over time and across subsectors.