Each year, the Chronicle of Philanthropy highlights the one hundred charities in the United States that raised the most money. Given that this past year has been full of dire news regarding the pandemic and political division, it’s remarkable that giving by Americans has remained strong.
$1 of every $11 dollars donated in the U.S. went to one of the groups on this list and overall, giving to these top charities for 2020 was up 2.7% (adjusted for inflation).
The major trend was that nonprofits providing health care and basic needs saw big jumps in support. The Salvation Army raised 31% more in 2020 over 2019. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society had a 15% increase. International aid group Samaritan’s Purse raised 38% more, while Doctors Without Borders jumped 30%. Feeding America had the largest overall increase, ticking up 354% over 2019 figures!
Here’s the list of the top fifteen charities in America, the amount they raised, and the increase or decrease from 2019 to 2020:
- United Way Worldwide/$3.5 billion/3.3% increase
- Salvation Army/$1.8 billion/31% increase
- St. Jude’s/$1.6 billion/4.2% increase
- John Hopkins University/$1.5 billion/42% decrease
- Stanford University/$1.2 billion/18% increase
- Harvard University/$1.2 billion/11.6% decrease
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America/$1 billion/7.3% increase
- Compassion International/$992 million/4.8% increase
- Catholic Charities/$949 million/3% increase
- Health Research/$949 million/155% increase
- University of California at San Francisco/$914 million/32.8% increase
- University of Washington/$772 million/14% increase
- Columbia University/$764 million/16.4% increase
- American Red Cross/$756 million/0.5% decrease
- Habitat for Humanity International/$724 million/0.9% increase