Philanthropy and volunteering are part of the American spirit. In terms of raw dollars and participation, we are leaders in the world. Specifically, Americans in 2023 donated $557 billion to charity. Thats right, over half a trillion dollars! Per capita, that is $1,683 per person. Now some of this is corporate giving, but $375 billion is from individuals or $1,131 per person, which is still quite impressive. The next closest country in total dollars is the UK with $15 billion donated in 2022 and New Zealand with about $700 per capita.
We are by far and away the philanthropic leaders of the world. In terms of volunteering, we are up there to. We sit at number 7 with ~37% of people reporting that they volunteered in 2023. Indonesia tops the list with 65% of people reporting they volunteered. Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Sri Lanka and New Zealand all "out volunteer" the United States.
Why do we have such a strong culture of giving here in the states? Everyone has their own reasons for giving and volunteering whether it be religious obligation, a high sense of corporate responsibility, distrust in the government, or generally a high degree of social responsibility. Whatever the reasoning may be, Civica wants to make everyone's time and donations as effective as possible. Centralizing and optimizing donations and volunteering should be a given in 2025 and we hope to make the most of American generosity!
