Key takeaways
- Feeding America topped Forbes' 2025 list for the fourth straight year, with $4.961 billion in private donations.
- Four of the top 10 are disaster, relief or international aid groups, and much of their support comes as donated goods and medicine.
- The list ranks private donations in each charity's most recent reported fiscal year, not total revenue.
The 2025 top 10
| Rank | Charity | Private donations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Feeding America | $4.961 billion |
| 2 | Good360 | $3.236 billion |
| 3 | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital | $2.776 billion |
| 4 | United Way Worldwide | $2.482 billion |
| 5 | Direct Relief | $2.389 billion |
| 6 | The Salvation Army | $2.344 billion |
| 7 | Habitat for Humanity International | $2.002 billion |
| 8 | Americares | $1.987 billion |
| 9 | Samaritan's Purse | $1.706 billion |
| 10 | Goodwill Industries International | $1.411 billion |
Source: Forbes, America's Top 100 Charities, released Dec. 12, 2025, as published by Direct Relief and Feeding America.
How the list works
Forbes ranks charities by private contributions received in their most recently reported fiscal year. Government grants and program fees don't count toward the ranking, so a charity with large total revenue can rank lower than one with more private gifts. Gifts of goods, such as food and medicine, count as private donations, which is why food banks and medical relief groups rank so high.
What fundraisers can learn
- Networks multiply reach. Feeding America, United Way, Habitat for Humanity and Goodwill all raise through local affiliates.
- In-kind giving is huge. Good360, Direct Relief and Americares raise much of their support as donated goods.
- Individual donors still matter most. Across all US giving, individuals gave 64% in 2025, according to Giving USA. See our charitable giving statistics.
- Retention drives growth. Big and small charities alike depend on donors giving again. See donor retention.
Related lists
See the largest US foundations, corporate matching gift programs and fundraising conferences.
How KFG helps
You don't need to be a billion-dollar charity to keep donors coming back. Kensington Fundraising Group runs live thank-you, renewal and reactivation calls for nonprofits of every size. See phone fundraising.