A Booming Economy Contributed to Strong Giving Results in 2019

According to Giving USA 2020: The Annual Report on Philanthropy, U.S. charitable giving reached $449.64 billion in 2019, a 4.2 percent increase in current dollars over 2018. Total giving in 2017, 2018, and 2019 represent the three highest levels on record.
In 2019, individuals drove this generosity, buoyed by a robust economic environment. The S&P 500 soared 28.9 percent over 2018,[1] while disposable personal income increased 4.3 percent[2] and GDP grew 4.1 percent,[3] all in current dollars. These three economic indicators are closely tied to charitable giving, paving the way for strong growth in giving in 2019.