2011 Charitable Giving Estimated at $298.42B Mark Hrywna and Paul Clolery - TheNonProfitTimes
go to original June 24, 2012

Giving in the United States reached an estimated $298.42 billion during 2011, an increase of roughly 4 percent from 2010. Giving by individuals led the way, as usual, at 73 percent or $217.79 billion.

The smallest part of the giving pie came from those screaming for attention the loudest, American corporations. Corporate largess was just 5 percent of all giving at $14.55 billion. The 2011 estimate, detailed in Giving USA’s 57th consecutive annual report, represents growth of 4 percent in current dollars and 0.9 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars.

The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University prepares the estimates in Giving USA. Estimates are based on econometric models using tax data, government estimates for economic indicators and information from other research institutions. Data sources include the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Foundation Center, Independent Sector, Council for Aid to Education, National Center for Charitable Statistics at the Urban Institute, and National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA.

Giving to religion and human services were the big winners, although religion continues to decline in terms of percentage of the overall giving. The estimates calculate total giving by approximately 117 million households across America, approximately 12.4 million corporations that claim charitable deductions, an estimated 99,000 estates, and roughly 76,000 foundations.

Individual giving as a percentage of disposable personal income was 1.9 percent, the same as in 2010 and down from the 2.4 percent in 2005. It has been 1.9 percent 11 times during the past 40 years. The low was 1.7 percent in 1995.

“The good news for charities is that actual growth in inflation adjusted dollars is 1 percent. The not good news is it comes at a time when there is still significant demand and unmet need,” said Patrick M. Rooney, Ph.D., executive director, The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University in Indianapolis, Ind. “What’s exacerbating is the downward draft from government spending, the downward draft of endowment earnings.”

Some of the data points for the GivingUSA study include:

• Gifts from estates were an estimated $24.41 billion in 2011, a 12.2 percent increase compared to 2010 and an 8.8 percent increase in inflation-adjusted dollars. Giving by bequest represented 8 percent of total giving.
• Giving by grant-making by private, community and operating foundations increased 1.8 percent in 2011, a decline of 1.3 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars, to $41.67 billion. Giving by foundations represented 14 percent of total giving.
• The estimated $14.55 billion in donations by corporations and their foundations was a 0.1 percent decline in current dollars, or a 3.1 percent decline as measured by inflation-adjusted dollars.
• Estimated giving to religious organizations -- $95.88 billion in 2011 -- retained its traditional spot as the largest type of recipient at 32 percent of total giving. It was one of only two subsectors to experience a decline.
• Measured in current dollars, that decline was 1.7 percent; the inflation-adjusted decrease amounted to 4.7 percent. The other subsector was giving to foundations, down 6.1 percent during 2011 to $25.83 billion.

Giving to components of the sector was:

• Religion, $95.88 billion or 32 percent;
• Education, $38.87 billion or 13 percent;
• Human Services, $35.39 billion or 12 percent;
• Foundations, $25.83 billion or 9 percent;
• Health, $24.75 billion or 8 percent;
• International Affairs, $22.68 billion or 8 percent;
• Public-Benefit Society, $21.37 billion or 7 percent;
• Arts, Culture and Humanities, $13.12 billion or 4 percent;
• Environment/animals, $7.81 billion or 3 percent;
• Individuals, $3.75 billion or 1 percent;
• Unallocated giving was $8.97 billion or 3 percent.

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