US giving grew 3% in 2025, crossing the $600B mark for the first time

Giving that’s associated with the wealthiest Americans – from bequests and foundations to universities and donor-advised funds – fared better than usual.

By: Jon Bergdoll, Indiana University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: June 23, 2026

Words: 1,118

Last Updated: 1 month ago

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By Jon Bergdoll, Indiana University

U.S. charitable giving rose 3% in 2025, surpassing US$600 billion for the first time.

The $617 billion that Americans gave to everything from churches to cat rescues was the second-highest ever in inflation-adjusted terms, but it fell short of the record set in 2021, when there was a burst of social services giving in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This growth was slightly faster than the long-term annual average of …

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