Key takeaways
- Americans gave an estimated $617.2 billion to charity in 2025, up 5.7% (3.0% after inflation) and above $600 billion for the first time (Giving USA 2026).
- Individuals gave 64% of the total, down from 67% in 2023.
- Dollars are growing while donor counts shrink: through mid-2026, dollars were up 6.6% and donors down 1.6% (Fundraising Effectiveness Project).
- GivingTuesday 2025 raised $4.0 billion in the US, up 13%.
Total US giving in 2025
Giving USA 2026, researched by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, estimates total giving at $617.2 billion in 2025. All four sources of giving grew in current dollars.
| Source | 2025 giving | Share | Change from 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individuals | $394.2 billion | 64% | +4.1% |
| Foundations | $117.15 billion | 19% | +5.7% |
| Bequests | $62.19 billion | 10% | +19.7% |
| Corporations | $43.67 billion | 7% | +3.1% |
| Total | $617.2 billion | 100% | +5.7% (+3.0% after inflation) |
Changes are in current dollars. Bequests posted the biggest jump, while individuals' share of total giving kept shrinking, from 67% in 2023 to 66% in 2024 and 64% in 2025, according to Candid's summary of the report.
Donors, dollars and retention
The Fundraising Effectiveness Project (FEP), run by the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy and GivingTuesday, tracks giving across thousands of nonprofits. Its recent reports show the same pattern: more dollars from fewer donors.
| Measure | Figure | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Dollars raised | +5.0% | Full year 2025 |
| Number of donors | −3.6% | Full year 2025 |
| Dollars raised | +6.6% | 2026 through June |
| Number of donors | −1.6% | 2026 through June |
| Donor retention (year to date) | 26.4% | 2026 through June |
| Donors acquired in 2025 who gave again | 11.3% | By end of June 2026 |
| Retention, donors who gave 7+ times | 90% | 2026 through June |
| Retention, one-time donors | 14.4% | 2026 through June |
| Share of dollars from major and supersize donors | 76.4% (from 2.9% of donors) | 2026 through June |
Year-to-date retention rises through the year as donors give again, so mid-year figures run lower than full-year rates. Use our donor retention calculator to measure your own.
GivingTuesday
GivingTuesday 2025, held Dec. 2, 2025, set a record: an estimated $4.0 billion donated in the US, up 13%, with 38.1 million participants, according to the GivingTuesday Data Commons. Total US GivingTuesday donations since 2012 reached $22.5 billion. GivingTuesday 2026 is Dec. 1.
What changed for 2026
Starting with the 2026 tax year, donors who don't itemize can deduct up to $1,000 of cash gifts, or $2,000 for married couples filing jointly, while itemizers can deduct only giving above 0.5% of adjusted gross income. See the 2026 charitable deduction changes.
What the numbers mean for fundraisers
- The second gift matters most. Few new donors give again, but donors who give often keep giving. Thank new donors quickly and ask for a second gift.
- Don't neglect smaller donors. Most dollars come from a few large donors, which makes organizations fragile if those donors leave.
- Reconnect with lapsed donors. Recaptured donors are a meaningful part of revenue; see our LYBUNT and SYBUNT calculator.
How KFG helps
Kensington Fundraising Group's phone campaigns focus on the donors these numbers say matter most: new donors who need a second gift and lapsed donors who can come back. See lapsed donor reactivation and our free call scripts.