Contributions to foundations saw the largest growth, increasing 15.5 percent, based on data provided by the Foundation Center. This growth was driven by extraordinarily large gifts by major philanthropists, including Michael and Susan Dell and Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, to their foundations, the report said.
Giving USA divides recipients into nine categories, all of which but international affairs saw increases. For charities involved in international affairs issues, giving declined 4.4 percent after several years of steady growth to almost $23 billion last year.
Contributions to religion; education; human services; foundations; health organizations; public society beneficiaries; arts, culture and humanities, and environmental and animal welfare organizations all increased.
“The broad growth in giving to virtually all charitable subsectors suggests that charities are connecting effectively with their donors and demonstrating their impact and case for support,” Patrick M. Rooney, executive associate dean for academic affairs at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, said in a statement. “While it is too soon to know with certainty how recent policy changes may influence when and how much donors give, what is certain is that cultivating and nurturing strong, ongoing relationships with donors will only become more important as the changes to federal tax policy made at the end of 2017 take effect.”
“Americans’ record-breaking charitable giving in 2017 demonstrates that even in divisive times our commitment to philanthropy is solid,” Sweeney said. “Contributions went up nearly across the board, signaling that Americans seem to be giving according to their beliefs and interests, which are diverse and wide-ranging.”