MALVERN, PA — Vanguard Charitable announced that its donors distributed more than $3.5 billion to nonprofits in fiscal year 2025, marking a 14% increase from the prior year and the highest annual total since the organization’s founding.
The record level of giving was spread across nearly 248,000 grants, with the average grant size rising to approximately $14,000. In all, 62,950 nonprofits benefited, spanning causes such as human services, religion, education, health, and the environment. Since its inception in 1997, Vanguard Charitable donors have granted more than $22 billion.
Donors Respond to Urgent Needs
The surge in charitable support was particularly evident in the first half of 2025, when natural disasters struck multiple states. Compared to the same period last year, grantmaking from January through June rose by 30%. Nearly 13,000 grants totaling $110 million were directed to disaster relief, including $11.2 million for hurricane response and $10 million for wildfire recovery.
Rebecca Moffett, president of Vanguard Charitable, noted that the rise in giving underscores the adaptability of donor-advised funds. “Our donors continue to demonstrate that generosity doesn’t pause during times of uncertainty, it grows,” she said. “This growth is not just in dollars granted; it’s in the number of organizations reached and the diversity of causes supported.”
Flexible Giving on the Rise
The data also showed that more than half of all grant dollars (51.7%) were provided without restrictions, allowing nonprofits to allocate funding where it is most needed. This marks an increase from 48.3% in fiscal 2024.
Top cause areas in 2025 included human services, religion, and education. The top three recipients by grant volume were Doctors Without Borders, World Central Kitchen, and Samaritan’s Purse.
A Consistent Vehicle for Philanthropy
Vanguard Charitable emphasized the reliability of donor-advised funds (DAFs) in providing sustained nonprofit support. A recent report found that 69% of annual grants are recurring, with donors giving more over time. Over a five-year span, the average size of a recurring donor’s grant grew by 40%.
Further reinforcing the trend, a Harris Poll commissioned by Vanguard Charitable revealed that 36% of Americans view charitable giving as a civic duty, particularly during uncertain times.
The record-setting year reflects not only the generosity of individual donors but also the growing role of donor-advised funds in supporting nonprofits through both immediate crises and long-term challenges.
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