2016 Giving USA data show record donations

• Date: 01 August 2017
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/nba.30346
• Published date: 01 August 2017

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AUGUST 2017NONPROFIT BUSINESS ADVISOR

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DOI: 10.1002/nba

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2016 Giving USA data show record donations

Donations from America’s individuals, estates, foun-

dations and corporations reached a record $390.05

billion in 2016, according to the latest Giving USA

report compiled by the Giving USA Foundation. That

marks the third year in a row that giving, in ination-

adjusted dollars, has set a record.

According to Giving USA 2017, total giving for the

year grew 2.7 percent in current dollars (1.4 percent

when adjusted for ination) over 2015, with increases in

nearly every major giving source tracked in the report:

• Giving by individuals totaled an estimated

$281.86 billion, rising 3.9 percent (2.6 percent adjusted

for ination) in 2016. This increase, which outpaced

giving by foundations and by corporations, helped

offset a sharp decline in bequests, the report said.

• Giving by foundations increased 3.5 percent (2.2

percent adjusted for ination) to an estimated $59.28

billion in 2016. According to the report, this was

somewhat tepid compared to the stronger increases

seen in recent years.

• Giving by bequest totaled an estimated $30.36

billion in 2016, declining 9.0 percent (10.1 percent

adjusted for ination) from 2015. This is following

two years of strong growth, reecting the uid nature

of bequests, which are less inuenced by economic

factors, the report said.

• Giving by corporations is estimated to have in-

creased by 3.5 percent (2.3 percent adjusted for ina-

tion) in 2016, totaling $18.55 billion.

While the strong growth in individual giving might

appear linked to the results of the recent presidential

election and general political climate, the report said,

the broader economy—which is on steady footing after

years of tepid growth coming out of the recession—is

a bigger factor.

According to the report, giving by individuals has

historically correlated with changes in such national-

level economic indicators as personal consumption,

disposable personal income and the Standard & Poor’s

500 Index. In 2016, both personal consumption and

disposable personal income grew by nearly 4 percent

over 2015, the report said, which bolstered households’

permanent and long-term nancial stability and helped

the rise in individual giving.

For the charitable organizations receiving contribu-

tions, 2016 was a year of growth across the board, the

report said. For example:

GuideStar has released a new, comprehensive

nonprot search and directory capability that the

organization says can be installed on any com-

munity foundation’s website in minutes. With

GuideStar Local Nonprot Directory, a commu-

nity foundation or local giving initiative can focus

donor intelligence on nonprots in the community

it serves without having to build a custom solution

or pay expensive maintenance costs, the group said.

“Community foundations play a vital role in

local philanthropy,” said GuideStar’s Adrian

Bordone in a statement announcing the directory.

“They know the needs in their regions and the

nonprots working to meet those needs. Many,

however, lack the technical resources to make this

information widely available to donors.”

The Local Nonprot Directory addresses that

need. Once it’s on a foundation’s website, donors

can access a range of in-depth information on area

nonprots, Bordone said.

According to GuideStar, the new directory will

include the following features:

• Information on nonprots’ programs, nan-

cial health, leadership, compensation, and board

and staff diversity.

• Multiple search lters allowing users to com-

pare nonprots by cause area, size and more.

• Constantly updated information on nonprots

in a community.

The ultimate goal is to enable donors to make

more informed giving choices, the organization

said.

For more information about the service, visit

http://bit.ly/2t4k1vP. ■

GuideStar offers new Local Nonprot Directory