Growing a nonprofit brand
Americans gave $617.2 billion to charity in 2025, and individuals gave 64% of it. Reach donors on YouTube and Facebook, and apply for Google's free search ads.
How big is the nonprofit industry?
Americans gave $617.2 billion to charity in 2025, up 3% after inflation, and the IRS recognizes about 1.6 million 501(c)(3) organizations.
| Measure | Figure | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Charitable giving | $617.2 billion | 2025 |
| Growth after inflation | 3% | 2025 |
| 501(c)(3) organizations recognized by the IRS | 1,596,231 | 2025 |
| All tax-exempt organizations and trusts | 2,068,741 | 2025 |
| Value of volunteers' time | Over $167.2 billion | 2023 |
The giving figures come from Giving USA 2026, researched by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. The IRS count leaves out churches and small groups that never applied for recognition.[1, 2, 3, reported]
Who are nonprofit donors?
Individuals give the most: $394.2 billion in 2025, or 64% of all US giving.
| Donor | Share of US giving, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Individuals | 64% |
| Foundations | 19% |
| Bequests | 10% |
| Corporations | 7% |
Gifts by bequest grew fastest, up 19.7%. Time counts too: 75.7 million people, 28.3% of Americans 16 and older, volunteered through an organization in the year to September 2023.[1, 3, reported]
Which platforms should a nonprofit brand grow on?
YouTube and Facebook reach the most US adults, including most people 65 and older: 65% and 59%.
| Platform | US adults | Ages 30 to 49 | Ages 65 and older |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube | 84% | 91% | 65% |
| 70% | 78% | 59% | |
| 51% | 64% | 21% | |
| 31% | 37% | 13% |
Eligible nonprofits get $10,000 a month in Google Search text ads through Google Ad Grants. The YouTube Nonprofit Program adds link anywhere cards and, in the US, YouTube Giving fundraising tools. On Meta, ads about social issues need authorization and a verified "Paid for by" disclaimer, and they can't run in the EU. Claim the .org and the .com; for domain endings, classes and UK charity-name rules, see naming a nonprofit.[4, 5, 6, 7, secondary]
Checks the .org, the .com, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube in one search.
Who are the top nonprofit creators?
Shirley Raines, Sam Bencheghib and Mark Rober are on TIME's 2025 list of the 100 most influential creators. Each raises money or help for a cause.
| Creator | Known for | Named by |
|---|---|---|
| Shirley Raines | Beauty 2 the Streetz, her nonprofit bringing food, toiletries, hair and makeup to unhoused people | TIME100 Creators 2025 (opens in a new tab) |
| Sam Bencheghib | Co-founder of Sungai Watch, a nonprofit stopping plastic in rivers in Bali and East Java | TIME100 Creators 2025 (opens in a new tab) |
| Mark Rober | Science videos; his #TeamTrees and #TeamSeas campaigns with MrBeast raised more than $50 million | TIME100 Creators 2025 (opens in a new tab) |
TIME said in 2025 that Raines had 6.6 million followers on TikTok and Instagram.[8, secondary]
Which sites are the authorities on nonprofits?
The IRS, Candid, Giving USA and The Chronicle of Philanthropy are the main authorities on US nonprofits and charitable giving.
| Site | What it is | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| IRS: Charities and nonprofits (opens in a new tab) | The IRS's hub for tax-exempt organizations | Checking a group's status and Form 990 filings |
| Candid (opens in a new tab) | Formed in 2019 when GuideStar and Foundation Center merged | Data on 1.9 million US nonprofits |
| Giving USA (opens in a new tab) | The yearly report on the sources and uses of US charitable giving | Giving totals and trends |
| The Chronicle of Philanthropy (opens in a new tab) | An independent organization giving nonprofits and foundations trustworthy information | Sector news and fundraising |
Sources (12)
- ReportedCandid: Key takeaways from Giving USA on 2025 philanthropy trends (opens in a new tab), on Giving USA 2026
- PrimaryIRS: Data Book table 2-6, tax-exempt organizations, fiscal year 2025 (opens in a new tab), and its data file (opens in a new tab)
- PrimaryUS Census Bureau: civic engagement and volunteerism, with AmeriCorps (opens in a new tab)
- SecondaryPew Research Center: Social Media Fact Sheet (opens in a new tab), survey of US adults
- PrimaryGoogle for Nonprofits: YouTube Nonprofit Program (opens in a new tab)
- PrimaryGoogle for Nonprofits: Google Ad Grants (opens in a new tab)
- PrimaryMeta: Ads about social issues, elections or politics (opens in a new tab)
- SecondaryTIME100 Creators 2025 (opens in a new tab), profiles of Shirley Raines, Sam Bencheghib and Mark Rober
- PrimaryIRS: Charities and nonprofits (opens in a new tab)
- PrimaryCandid: About (opens in a new tab)
- PrimaryGiving USA: About (opens in a new tab)
- PrimaryThe Chronicle of Philanthropy: About (opens in a new tab)