National Center for Charitable Statistics
contact us

Quick Facts About Nonprofits

The national clearinghouse of data on the nonprofit sector in the United States

For the latest figures and quick facts please refer to THE NONPROFIT SECTOR IN BRIEF.
 

Nonprofit Organizations

  • 1,569,572 tax-exempt organizations, including:
    • 997,579 public charities
    • 118,423 private foundations
    • 453,570 other types of nonprofit organizations, including chambers of commerce, fraternal organizations and civic leagues.

(Source: NCCS Business Master File 10/09)

  • In 2006, nonprofits accounted for 8.11% of all wages and salaries paid in the United States.
    (Source: Nonprofit Almanac 2008)

Public Charity Finances

  • In 2007, public charities reported over $1.4 trillion in total revenues and nearly $1.3 trillion in total expenses.  Of the revenue:
    • 22% came from contributions, gifts and grants.
    • 67% came from program service revenues, which include government fees and contracts.
    • 11% came from "other" sources including dues, rental income, special event income, and gains or losses from goods sold.

(Source: NCCS Core Files 2007)

  • Public charities reported nearly $2.6 trillion in total assets in 2007.
    (Source: NCCS Core Files 2007)
     

Volunteering and Charitable Giving

  • Approximately 26.4% of Americans over the age of 16 volunteered through or for an organization between September 2007 and September 2008.  This proportion has remained relatively constant since 2003 after a slight increase from 27.4% to 28.8% in 2003.
    (Source: Current Population Survey, September 2008)
  • Charitable contributions by individuals, foundations and corporations reached $284.99 billion in 2008, a decrease of 5.6% from 2007 after adjusting for inflation.Of these charitable contributions:
    • Religious organizations received the largest share, with 34.7% of total estimated contributions.
    • Educational institutions received the second largest percentage, with 13.3% of total estimated contributions.
    • Human service organizations accounted for 8.4% of total estimated contributions in 2008, the fourth largest share.

(Source: Giving USA 2009)

  • Individuals gave $229.28 billion in 2008, an inflation-adjusted annual decrease of 6.3%.
    (Source: Giving USA 2009)
     

Foundation Giving

  • Foundations gave $45.6 billion in 2008, an increase of 2.8% from 2007.
    (Source: The Foundation Center)
  • Of total foundation giving:
    • 72% came from independent foundations
    • 10% came from community foundations
    • 10% came from corporate foundations
    • 8% came from operating foundations.

(Source: The Foundation Center)

 

©2009 Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy — Advancing Practice, Informing Policy