Giving is Up! How’s Your Organization Doing?

$617 BILLION.

That’s how much Americans donated to charity in 2025.

It’s the first-time charitable giving has exceeded $600 billion, and even after adjusting for inflation, giving was up 3.0%. That’s an extraordinary statement about American generosity.

But if you’re a nonprofit CEO or development professional, here’s the number that should really get your attention:

Bequests increased nearly 17%.

That may be one of the clearest signs yet that the Great Wealth Transfer is beginning to influence philanthropy.

There were other encouraging trends across the nonprofit sector:

· Education: +11.7%

· Public-Society Benefit: +11.6%

· Environment & Animals: +11.0%

· Arts, Culture & Humanities: +4.7%

· Health: +3.3%

· Human Services: +2.6%

· Religion: Essentially flat after inflation, although it remains the nation’s largest charitable recipient.

These statistics are encouraging. The opportunity is growing. The organizations that plan for it not simply hope for it will be the ones that benefit.