As we reflect on private foundation giving trends from 2023 to 2024, the data in this report provides important context for the philanthropic sector at a time of transition and uncertainty. While overall giving and endowment growth were solid, grantmaking activity remained largely consistent with prior years. This stability is noteworthy given the evolving policy landscape under the new White House administration and the challenges many nonprofits have faced year-to-date.
Our analysis of more than 1,100 private foundations shows incremental increases in both the number of grants and total dollars deployed, along with the following:
3 Key Takeaways:
On average, foundations exceeded the annual payout requirement by 2.1%.
Education, Public & Societal Benefit, and Human Services remained top priorities, each attracting more funding in 2024 than in the prior year.
Foundations showed a continued preference for targeted philanthropy in the U.S.
A subset of foundations embraced advanced techniques to deploy capital more creatively.
As the leading provider of philanthropic software and services, our findings are a valuable benchmark for private foundations and their professional teams, helping them respond to changing needs with agility and insight. Whether you are a foundation, an individual donor, an advisor or a nonprofit leader, we hope this report equips you with actionable intelligence to navigate the current environment and plan for the future.
Thank you for your continued commitment to philanthropy and for partnering with us to strengthen communities and advance meaningful change.
