Charitable giving in the United States was 3.3 percent higher in 2024 than in 2023, after adjusting for inflation,” reports The Doomslayer. But religious giving was down slightly after inflation, as religious belief waned in the U.S.
The Annual Report on Philanthropy explains that “Total giving grew 6.3% in current dollars, reaching a new high by that measure (3.3% when adjusted for inflation). A strong stock market and GDP growth helped fuel the increase in total giving, which was led by individual and corporate giving. All recipient subsectors saw donations increase in current dollars. When adjusted for inflation, giving to seven of the nine categories rose, while giving to foundations remained relatively flat and giving to religion decreased slightly.”
Adjusted for inflation, corporate donations went up 6%, and donations by individuals went up 5.1%, while bequests fell by 4.4%, and foundation donations fell 0.5%.
Donations to education rose 9.9% after adjusting for inflation, while donations to international charities rose 14.3%. Donations to religion fell 1% after inflation.
“The share of U.S. adults identifying as religiously unaffiliated has nearly doubled over the last two decades, from about 8% in 2000 to over 20% today, according to Gallup and Pew Research Center data. Pew’s 2023-2024 Religious Landscape Study puts this figure at 29%. Pew’s 2023-2024 study showed that 43% of the youngest adults (ages 18 to 24) are religiously unaffiliated, compared to only 13% of the oldest adults (age 74 and older).”
