The Palm Beach Post

Charitable giving in U.S. tops $400 billion

- By David Crary

Fueled by a NEW YORK — surging stock market and huge gifts from billionair­es, charitable giving in the United States in 2017 topped the $400 billion mark for the first time, according to the latest comprehens­ive report on Americans’ giving patterns. The Giving USA report, released Tuesday, said giving from individual­s, estates, foundation­s and corporatio­ns reached an estimated $410 billion in 2017 — more than the gross domestic product of countries such as Israel and Ireland. The total was up 5.2 percent in current dollars (3 percent adjusted for inflation) from the estimate of $389.64 billion for 2016. “Americans’ record-breaking charitable giving in 2017 demonstrat­es that even in divisive times our commitment to philanthro­py is solid,” said Aggie Sweeney, chair of Giving USA Foundation, which publishes the annual report. It is researched and written by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthro­py. Giving increased to eight of the nine charitable sectors identified by Giving USA. The only decline was for areas related to internatio­nal affairs. Other sectors with increases of more than 6 percent included education, health, arts and culture, environmen­t and animal welfare, and public-society benefit organizati­ons — groups which work on such issues as voter education, civil rights, civil liberties and consumer rights. Despite the record-setting total, Americans’ level of generosity is no higher than it was decades ago. For 2017,

 ?? STEPHAN SAVOIA / ASSOCIATED PRESS ?? Dell CEO Michael Dell speaks at a Boston College luncheon. A Giving USA report said giving from individual­s, estates, foundation­s and corporatio­ns reached an estimated $410 billion in 2017.
STEPHAN SAVOIA / ASSOCIATED PRESS Dell CEO Michael Dell speaks at a Boston College luncheon. A Giving USA report said giving from individual­s, estates, foundation­s and corporatio­ns reached an estimated $410 billion in 2017.

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