53 Astonishing Facts and Statistics About Charities and Non-Profits Worldwide

Charities and non-profit organisations are instrumental in addressing some of the world’s most pressing issues. These entities vary greatly in their purpose, size, and impact, and the data surrounding them is equally diverse and fascinating.

Here, we delve into 53 mind-boggling facts and statistics about charities and non-profits worldwide.

Global Facts and Statistics about Charities and Non-Profits

1. The Most Charitable Country: According to the World Giving Index, Myanmar is the most generous country in the world, with over 90% of the population giving to charity.
2. The Biggest Donor Countries: In 2019, the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom were the top three countries in terms of total amounts given as overseas development aid, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
3. The Largest Charitable Foundation: As of 2019, the Gates Foundation is the world’s largest charitable foundation with an endowment of approximately $50.7 billion, according to Statista.
4. The Fastest-Growing Charitable Cause: According to Charity Navigator, the environment and animals sector has been the fastest-growing charitable cause for eight years, seeing a 3.8% increase in contributions in 2019.
5. Global Giving Trends: In 2019, individuals around the world donated $715 billion, making up nearly 75% of all charitable giving, according to Charities Aid Foundation’s World Giving Index.
6. Global Volunteerism: According to the Charities Aid Foundation, more than 1 billion people volunteer globally every year.
7. Giving by Corporations: Global corporate giving reached $20 billion in 2019, according to Giving USA.
8. Global Online Giving: Online giving grew by 12.1% worldwide in 2020, as per the Global NGO Technology Report.
9. Giving by Foundations: According to the Foundation Center, there are approximately 1.5 million grant-making foundations globally, and they give over $150 billion annually.
10. Online Fundraising: According to the Global NGO Technology Report, 54% of donors worldwide prefer to give online with a credit or debit card.

Africa Stats and Facts on Charities and Non-Profits

11. Philanthropy in Egypt: According to the John D. Gerhart Center for Philanthropy, 72% of Egyptian households donate to charity.
12. Charitable Giving in Kenya: According to a study by the Charities Aid Foundation, Kenyans are some of the most generous people in Africa, with 60% of Kenyans having donated money to an NGO in the past year.
13. Rapid growth of NGOs in Nigeria: According to the Nigerian Network of NGOs, there are over 40,000 registered NGOs in Nigeria, an increase of over 100% in the last 10 years.
14. Non-profits in South Africa: There are over 220,000 registered non-profit organisations in South Africa, according to the Department of Social Development.
15. Non-profit Economic Impact in South Africa: According to a study by the University of Cape Town, the non-profit sector contributed 5% to South Africa’s GDP in 2019.
16. Volunteering in Uganda: According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, over 30% of Ugandans volunteer their time to non-profit organizations, one of the highest rates in Africa.

American Numbers About Charities and Non-Profits

17. Non-profits in Argentina: Argentina has over 60,000 registered non-profits, according to the Argentinian Confederation of Social Welfare Entities.
18. Non-profits in Brazil: Brazil has over 820,000 registered non-profit entities, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics.
19. Charitable Giving in Brazil: Brazilians donated more than R$ 26 billion (around $5 billion) to charities in 2020, according to the Brazilian Association of Fundraising Professionals.
20. Non-profits in Canada: In 2020, there were over 170,000 registered charities and non-profits in Canada, as per Imagine Canada.
21. Charitable Giving in Canada: Canadians donated CAD 10.6 billion to charity in 2020, as per the Statistics Canada.
22. Volunteering in Canada: According to Statistics Canada, 44% of Canadians aged 15 and over did volunteer work in 2018, contributing nearly 1.7 billion hours of their time.
23. Non-profits in Mexico: Mexico has over 35,000 registered non-profits, according to the Mexican Center for Philanthropy.
24. Non-profits in USA: There are over 1.5 million registered non-profit organizations in the United States, according to the National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS).
25. Charitable Giving by USA Citizens: Approximately 69% of US citizens make charitable contributions each year, according to Philanthropy Roundtable.
26. Giving in USA: Despite the economic challenges brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, charitable giving in the United States reached a record high of $471.44 billion in 2020, as per Giving USA.
27. US Religious Organisations Receive the Most: Religious organizations receive the largest share of charitable donations in the USA, with 29% of total giving in 2020, according to Giving USA.
28. Skewed Charitable Contributions in USA: The top 1% of non-profits in the United States receive nearly 86% of all charitable contributions, according to a study by the National Philanthropic Trust.
29. Non-Profits’ Share of USA GDP: Non-profit organisations accounted for 5.5% of the country’s GDP in 2014, contributing an estimated $985.4 billion, according to the National Council of Nonprofits.
30. Non-Profit Employment in USA: Non-profit organisations employ 12.3 million people in the USA, making up approximately 10% of the private workforce, as per the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
31. Volunteering in USA: In 2020, 25.7% of U.S. adults volunteered, contributing an estimated 6.9 billion hours of service, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service.
32. Most Generous Age Group in USA: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, people between the ages of 35 and 44 are the most likely to make charitable donations.

Australia and Oceania Stats and Facts About Charities and Non-Profits

33. Australia’s Charitable Sector: As of 2019, Australia had over 56,000 registered charities, serving various causes, according to the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission.
34. Giving in Australia: Australians donated over AUD 10.4 billion to charities in 2020, according to the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).
35. Giving in New Zealand: New Zealanders donated NZD 3.5 billion in 2020, according to Philanthropy New Zealand.

Asian Charities Non-Profits Stats and Facts

36. Charitable Giving in China: Charitable giving in China increased by almost 20% between 2010 and 2016, reaching $23.4 billion, as reported by the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs.
37. Non-profits in China: There are over 816,000 social organisations, including NGOs and non-profits, in China, as per the Ministry of Civil Affairs of China.
38. Giving in India: The total amount donated in India in 2020 was ₹1.5 trillion (around $20 billion), according to the India Giving Report.
39. Philanthropy in India: According to a report by Bain & Company, private charitable contributions in India grew at an annual rate of 21% between 2014 and 2019.
40. Non-profits in Japan: Japan has over 50,000 registered non-profit organizations, according to the Cabinet Office of the Government of Japan.
41. Charitable Giving in Singapore: Singaporeans donated SGD 2.9 billion to charity in 2020, according to the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre.
42. Charitable Giving in South Korea: South Koreans donated KRW 9.1 trillion (around $7.7 billion) to charities in 2020, according to the Ministry of Strategy and Finance of South Korea.

European Facts and Statistics About Charities and Non-Profits

43. Non-profits in France: There are about 1.5 million non-profit entities in France, which collectively employ 1.8 million people, according to France Générosités.
44. Non-Profits in Germany: There are over 600,000 non-profits in Germany, according to the German Central Institute for Social Issues.
45. Non-profits in Italy: There are around 301,191 non-profit organisations in Italy, employing over 850,000 people, according to ISTAT.
46. Non-profits in the Netherlands: There are over 50,000 registered non-profits in the Netherlands, according to the Dutch Central Bureau for Statistics.
47. Non-profits in Poland: There are over 120,000 registered non-profit organisations in Poland, as per the Central Statistical Office of Poland.
48. Non-profits in Turkey: Turkey has over 100,000 registered non-profits, according to the Turkish Directorate General of Foundations.
49. Non-profits in Russia: Russia has over 220,000 registered non-profit organizations, as per the Russian Ministry of Justice.
50. Charities in Scotland: In Scotland, there are over 24,000 registered charities, according to the Scottish Charity Regulator.
51. Non-profits in Spain: There are about 50,000 registered non-profit organizations in Spain, according to Spain’s National Institute of Statistics.
52. Charities in UK: The UK is home to over 168,000 registered charities, as reported by the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
53. Giving in the UK: In 2020, total giving to UK charities was estimated at £10.1 billion, according to the Charities Aid Foundation.