Quick Facts About Nonprofits

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)

• There are an estimated 377,640 congregations in the United States.
  (Source: American Church Lists 2006)
   

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)