U.S. Charitable Giving Rose 3% to $617 Billion in 2025, Second-Highest on Record

U.S. charitable giving totaled $617 billion in 2025, a 3 percent increase that marked the second-highest inflation-adjusted total on record, Fortune reported. The figure fell short of the 2021 peak tied to pandemic-related social services donations.

Bequests drove much of the growth, rising 16. Paul Allen’s estate contributed a $3.1 billion bequest; Allen died in 2018. Foundation grants increased 3 percent to $117 billion, reaching an inflation-adjusted record and representing one-fifth of total donations.

Individual giving grew 1.4 percent to represent 64 percent of the total. Corporate donations rose 0.5 percent to $44 billion, achieving a record share of overall giving. Religious organizations received $152 billion, flat after inflation adjustment.

Gifts to education increased 8.9 percent to $92 billion, while public-society benefit causes rose 8.7 percent to $72 billion. Social services giving reached nearly $100 billion. Gifts to foundations fell 18.3 percent to $79 billion.

A universal charitable deduction takes effect for most taxpayers in 2026 under tax legislation passed by Republican lawmakers in July 2025.