It's no secret, charitable giving is on the rise. So we've gathered 10 powerful statistics to highlight the trends in global giving to help inform your future fundraising strategy, from who makes up the most generous group of individuals, to which cause categories are seeing the largest donation increases year-over-year. We hope this helps you elevate the impact of your mission for years to come.
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1. Charitable giving overall is on the rise with a 19% increase over the past three years! Last year alone accounted for an increase of 9% and it became awarded as a “record year for charitable giving,” according to the Blackbaud Institute.
2. Americans account for the largest giving group worldwide, according to the World Giving Index! Donating 7x more than Europeans do and an average of 50% more than Canadians.
3. According to a Giving USA report, in 2021 donations totaled $484.85 billion to U.S Charities, with the majority (27%) being donated toward religious institutions, including local churches. The remaining went to the following sectors: education (14%), human services (13%), and public society benefits (11%).
4. The average donation in 2021 was $813 across all sub-sectors, as reported by the Blackbaud Institute. Organizations supporting higher education received an average of $1,631, whereas animal welfare nonprofits received $299 as their average donation.
5. Individuals (69%) are the biggest giving group, accounting for $327 billion in donations, according to the 2021 Giving USA Report! This was a rise of 4.9% from 2021. As opposed to donations made by corporations (4%), requests (9%), and foundations (19%).
6. In the US, the typical donor is 65 years old, which mainly incorporates the baby boomer generation from 57 to 75 years old. According to the Blackbaud Institute, the average donor has remained on the “mature” side (increasing from 62 to 65 since 2016), indicating an area of opportunity for targeting younger generations to make a difference.
7. Online giving has grown by 42% over the last three years, and the Blackbaud Institute expects it to keep growing. 28% of all online contributions are made from mobile phones, emphasizing the need for nonprofits to include mobile-friendly features in their donation processes, such as text-to-donate and Apple or Google Pay.
8. 30% of all annual donations happen in December and 10% occur in the last three days of the year. This “giving season,” which occurs from November to December, is an incredible opportunity for nonprofits to fundraise, as most donors feel “extra” generous, due to the potential tax benefits & the overall spirit of the holiday season.
9. In 2021, Giving Tuesday reported a total of $2.7 billion in donations in the U.S. That's a 9% increase compared to 2020, and a 37% increase compared to 2019.
10. Women contribute 3.9 billion hours of volunteer work annually, 7.3% more than males. AmeriCorps statistics from 2022 estimate their service's value at $94.5 billion, with men contributing over 3 billion hours, valued at about $72.4 billion.
We hope these insightful statistics encourage you to keep supporting your favorite nonprofit or causes throughout the year! To take action right away, you can search our database of 2+M nonprofits to find a cause to support today, or go above and beyond for your charitable mission and create a fundraiser. Every action, great or small, creates a ripple effect to making a difference and creating a better world.