Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Corporate and International Giving Hold Up in Tough Times

It is no secret that the tough economic times have taken a toll on Giving in the US. Total giving fell by a total of over 5% in inflation-adjusted terms over the past two years.

The biggest decline came from decreases in foundation giving (over 7%), which should make them feel ashamed, since they are supposed to be cushion rather than exacerbate the effects of tough social and economic conditions.  

By contrast, giving by corporations was down less than average (only 4%) over these two years.

Source: Giving USA 2010
What is particularly impressive is that giving to international causes actually ROSE 7% over the past two years.  This is due partly but not entirely to the Haiti crisis.  I hope it also reflects a larger trend of Americans engaging more in the world around us.