Chronicle - Giving to Colleges Declines Nearly 6 Percent

The Chronicle of Higher Education recently reported that giving to colleges and other charities declined by nearly 6 percent, the steepest decline in the history of the survey which began in 1956. Below are some highlights, please visit the website for more details.

• Individuals donated $229.3-billion last year, a decrease of 6.3 percent. Giving through bequests also dropped: $22.7-billion was contributed through people’s wills, a 6.4-percent decline. Altogether, gifts from individuals, including bequests, accounted for 82 percent of all charitable giving in 2008.


• Corporate donations totaled $14.5-billion in 2008, an 8-percent decrease, accounting for 5 percent of all giving.


• Foundation grants decreased only slightly, 0.8 percent. They totaled $41.2-billion. Grants from private, community, and operating foundations made up 13 percent of the total contributed to charity last year.