US charitable giving hit record in 2021 but inflation looms

By THALIA BEATY and GLENN GAMBOA
Associated Press

Charitable giving in the United States reached a record $485 billion in 2021, though the increase did not keep pace with inflation. That’s according to a report Tuesday that offers a comprehensive look at American philanthropy. The Giving USA report says donations in 2021 were 4% higher than the record-setting $466 billion contributed in 2020. But that it was down 0.7% when adjusted for inflation. Many nonprofits are now feeling the strain because giving is not growing as fast as price increases. Reacting to the intense needs of the early COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the calls for racial justice, giving increased in unusual ways in 2020, but has generally returned to previous patterns.