A new report shows charitable giving in the United States rebounded last year, outpacing inflation for the first time in three years and hitting record highs in current dollars – a sign that Americans’ generosity remained strong, at least until recent economic uncertainty.
More than 300 representatives from Greater Cincinnati nonprofits gathered virtually Tuesday to hear the latest insights from “Giving USA 2025: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2024,” published by Giving USA Foundation and researched by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
As she has for two decades, former Giving USA editor and nationally recognized philanthropy expert Melissa Brown presented her analysis of the findings to a regional audience. Grants Plus and AFP Cincinnati were co-presentors of the virtual event. Fifth Third Foundation, BBB, Clark Schaefer Hackett and Leadership Council for Nonprofits were sponsors. Movers & Makers Magazine served as media sponsor.
The big picture painted by the report: Charitable donations reached $592.5 billion in 2024, a 6.3% increase over the previous year (3.3% when adjusted for inflation). That growth last year, driven by a strong stock market, gross domestic production gains and increased personal income, aligns closely with 40-year trends and offers encouraging signals to nonprofit leaders planning for the future, according to Giving USA.
The full report is available to annual subscribers at www.givingusa.org.
“Total giving in 2024 reached record levels in current dollars and grew at a rate consistent with long-term trends – clear evidence of Americans’ enduring generosity and the value they place on nonprofit work,” said Wendy McGrady, chair of Giving USA Foundation and president and COO of The Curtis Group.
That said, it’s worth remembering this data reflects what happened last year – not what’s ahead.
Brown stressed that point throughout her presentation. Everything looked strong through the end of 2024, but things could shift, especially with changing attitudes at the federal level in terms of government funding of charitable programs.
“As the old ad said, ‘past results do not guarantee future performance,’” Brown cautioned.
Giving by cause
Overall, all recipient subsectors saw an increase in donations in current dollars, with seven out of nine also rising after adjusting for inflation, per Giving USA.
Education, health, arts, and environment/animals all hit all-time highs. In Cincinnati, ArtsWave raised a near-record $12.3 million during its most recent community campaign – a sign of local momentum.
Some of the strongest rebounds came from public-society benefit, international affairs and education organizations, which had all declined. Public-society benefit fundraising, such as that by United Way of Greater Cincinnati, invested more than $37 million into the community last year through partnerships with more than 600 local organizations.
“The broad increases in giving across subsectors show that philanthropy and the nonprofit sectors were thriving in 2024,” said Gabe Cooper, Giving USA’s vice chair. “This growth demonstrates robust donor support for a myriad of causes.”
Still, as Brown pointed out, the arts saw smaller growth than any other category except religion and continue to lag behind most other sectors. She said the arts are often viewed as something primarily beneficial to those in attendance or participating, rather than society as a whole, and whose cost can and should be borne by those individuals and organizations.
Meanwhile, bequest giving dropped slightly, and giving to religion saw a modest dip when adjusted for inflation. Religion has been diminishing as a percentage of the total for decades.
What drove giving in 2024
Corporate gifts hit record highs, bolstered by strong GDP and pre-tax profits. Foundation giving also topped $100 billion for the third straight year, although it remained flat after adjusting for inflation. Corporate giving rose by 9.1%, reaching a record $44.40 billion, per Giving USA. But, Brown said, this was largely driven by higher profits, not by changes in giving patterns.
The importance of individual donors to those types of efforts can’t be overstated. Across the country, individual donors accounted for two-thirds of all giving in 2024, accounting for $392.45 billion – up 8.2% from 2023, or 5.1% when adjusted for inflation.
In Cincinnati, United Way alone reported receiving funds from 27,000 donors last year.
“The role of the individual donor cannot be overstated,” Amir Pasic, dean of the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, said in a statement from Giving USA. “Individuals were responsible for the largest share of all donations made last year and they continue to play a central role in our nation’s philanthropic sector.”
Looking ahead
For local nonprofits, the findings offer both optimism and strategic guidance. Growth trends suggest donors are responding to economic confidence, and that Cincinnati organizations, like their national peers, can benefit from renewed interest in a wide range of causes.
“Financial and economic security drives increases in giving – people give when they feel financially and economically secure – and that occurred in 2024,” said Una Osili, associate dean at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
Still, the report cautions that inflation, though lower than in recent years, continues to impact donor behavior, particularly among everyday givers. That’s a reminder to Cincinnati nonprofits to remain flexible and donor-focused as they plan ahead.
“Even as many organizations face ongoing uncertainty, this year’s Giving USA data offers a strong baseline for understanding where philanthropy stands today – and how donors continue to show up for the causes they care about,” McGrady said. “We will keep listening to the field, but one truth remains: generosity is alive and well in America.”
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