Charitable Giving Drops to 62% of Americans
The American Bible Society's State of the Bible: USA 2026 report finds donation rates and median gifts both fell in 2025 from 2024 levels.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Philanthropy
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In its eighth State of the Bible: USA 2026 report, released November 13, 2026, the American Bible Society found that 62% of Americans donated to churches, religious organizations or other charities in 2025, down from 64% in 2024. The median gift by donor households fell to $500 from $894.
Why it matters
The survey indicates that charitable giving has not returned to its pre-decline levels, with the share of donors above the 2023 record low of 59% but median contributions sharply lower. The findings also show that lower-income donors give a larger share of their income to charity than higher-income donors.
The survey of 2,649 U.S. adults conducted January 8-27, 2026, found 50% of 2025 donations went to churches or parishes and 22% to local nonreligious charities. Practicing Christians were far more likely to give, with 93% donating compared with 57% of nominal Christians.
The players
American Bible Society
A nonprofit organization founded in 1816 that distributes Bibles and publishes an annual State of the Bible research series on religious practice in the United States.
The details
The report's latest chapter, titled Love & Generosity, defines practicing Christians as those who identify as Christians, attend a religious service at least monthly and say their faith is very important to them. Nominal Christians identify as Christians but do not attend church at least monthly.
Timeline
2023: Charitable giving reached a record low, with 59% of Americans donating.
January 8-27, 2026: The American Bible Society surveyed 2,649 U.S. adults for the report.
2025: 62% of Americans donated to charity, with 93% of practicing Christians giving.
November 13, 2026: The American Bible Society released the State of the Bible: USA 2026 report.
Market Landscape
The eighth installment of the American Bible Society's State of the Bible series extends a multi-year tracking effort that previously recorded the 2023 record low of 59% of Americans donating to charity. The 2026 findings place the 62% 2025 rate between that low and the 64% reported in 2024.
For donors earning under $30,000 a year, the survey found that 10% gave at least 10% of household income to charity, a higher share than among higher-income donors. Households deciding how much to give can compare their own giving against the reported 2025 median of $500.
The takeaway
Charitable giving among U.S. households has fallen in both participation and median gift size since 2024, and the share of income given rises as income falls. Donors weighing their own contributions can measure them against these national benchmarks.
Further reading
For more on how American households give, see Philanthropy.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Christian Post.
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