The Giving USA 2025 Data Is In —

Now What?

The newly released Giving USA 2025: Annual Report on Philanthropy shows that charitable giving in 2024 reached $592.5 billion — a 6.3% increase in current dollars and a 3.3% increase when adjusted for inflation. A strong stock market and steady economy fueled growth, with nearly every recipient sector seeing gains. Giving to foundations, education, health, arts and environment/animal organizations all hit record highs.

Beneath these headline numbers, important trends shape the landscape:

• Individual giving remains the cornerstone of philanthropy (66%), donor participation continues to decline, and giving remains highly concentrated among major donors.
• Foundation giving reached an all-time high, buoyed by strong asset growth.
• Corporate giving rose by 9.1% in current dollars, driven by higher corporate profits.
• Bequests and planned gifts continue to be a growing opportunity as The Great Wealth Transfer accelerates.

In this landscape, data alone won’t drive fundraising success — but focused, strategic action will. Here’s where we believe nonprofits should lean in:

• Strengthen donor relationships. Donor participation is declining. Focus on personal connection, trust and consistent communication. Relationships remain your most future-proof asset.
• Plan for long-term financial resilience. Build reserve funds, endowments and flexible budget models that allow you to adapt to funding shifts and seize opportunities.
• Strengthen your planned giving program. With an estimated $84 trillion in wealth transferring over the next two decades, now is the time to plant seeds for future major and planned gifts.
• Leverage technology wisely. Use AI and digital tools to streamline administrative work and free your time for what matters most—deepening relationships.
• Engage in advocacy. Build stronger ties with elected officials and stay engaged in policy discussions that affect your sector and your mission. Be bold about your impact—and the policy shifts that threaten it. Donors want to know what’s at stake and how they can stand with you.

The bottom line: This is a moment to be bold. The generosity is there — securing it requires intentional engagement, advocacy and donor-centered strategies.

We unpacked these trends and shared practical steps in our Giving USA 2025 webinar, which you can watch here. Additionally, you can view and print this handout with our key takeaways to share with your network. For full access to the trends and insights, as well as other timely research on trends in philanthropy, purchase a subscription to Giving USA.

As always, our team at The Curtis Group stands ready to help you navigate these shifts and build for long-term success.

The Curtis Group is a proud supporter of Giving USA and member of the Giving Institute. We are honored to be active contributors to this annual report and to share these findings virtually and in person throughout the country. Giving USA: Annual Report on Philanthropy is now available. Visit givingusa.org to purchase your subscription.