The NASDAQ may be at a record low, but charitable giving by Americans is at an all-time high, reaching a total $190.16 billion in 1999, according to a report just released by the American Association of Fund-Raising Counsel (AAFRC) Trust for Philanthropy.

The news "Giving USA 2000" report shows charitable contributions of all types rose in the U.S. in a number of positive ways.

Not only did total giving climb by more than $15 billion last year, philanthropy as a percentage of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) increased to 2.1 percent, from 1.7 percent in 1995, AAFRC reports.

Not only that, giving by individuals rose as well. Such charitable contributions rose from 1.5 percent of personal income in 1995 to 1.8 percent in 1999. Personal giving by Americans rose to $143.7 billion last year, an increase of 7.2 percent from 1998. (Bequests accounted for $15.6 billion last year, a 14.6 percent increase.)

The AAFRC survey shows foundation giving (without corporate foundation numbers) grew to $19.8 billion last year, a 16.5 percent increase from 1998. Non-corporate foundation giving accounted for 10.4 percent of all charitable giving in the U.S. in 1999.

Corporate and corporate foundation giving increased to $11 billion, a 14.3 percent increase over 1998 levels.

In terms of what categories Americans give to the most, churches and religious organizations received the overwhelming amount of money, 481.8 billion last year. These gifts represented 43 percent of all giving in the nation in 1999.

Schools and educational causes received $27.5 billion last year, an 8.5 percent increase from last year. These causes made up 14.4 percent of all giving in 1999.

Health organizations received a total $17.9 billion in 1999, a 6.3 percent annual increase, representing 9.4 percent of overall giving.

Human service groups received $17.4 billion last year, an 8.0 percent annual boost, accounting for 8.6 percent of total giving.

The arts, cultural and humanities causes recorded $11.1 billion in gifts last year, a 5.1 percent annual increase that accounted for 5.8 percent of all giving.

Environmental and wildlife causes received a total $5.8 billion in 1999, an 11 percent increase over the previous year. This sector accounts for 3.1 percent of all types of giving by Americans last year.

While these increases are all healthy, the future may be even more impressive, according to one top AAFRC official.

"Charitable giving has increase by double-digit percentages for four straight years. It is likely that this is not merely a momentary windfall for the nonprofit sector, but rather, we might say it signals the beginning of a new age of philanthropy," stated Russell G. Weigand, AAFRC's chairman. "Research from Boston College indicates that the transfer of wealth between 1998 and 2052 is likely to be valued at least $41 trillion and may be as high as $136 trillion. Even the conservative end of this range provides support for the idea that we may be at the brink of a revolutionary augmentation in the capacity to give."

The "Giving USA 2000" report will be available on disk in June, and in book form by September.

The full text of this release can be found at:
http://www.aafrc.org/