Giving USA: $307.65 Billion in Charitable Giving in 2008
The good news: for the second year in a row, charitable giving topped $300 billion. This represents a healthy 2.2 percent of GDP.
The bad news: for only the second time since 1956, when Giving USA began reporting on charitable contributions, total giving in current dollars declined. Giving for 2007 was estimated at $314.07 billion. The survey revealed that two-thirds of public charities receiving contributions experienced a decline from 2007 to 2008. Sixty percent of nonprofits in the human services sector reported cutting back services or staff.
