All About Philanthropy in Less Than Four Minutes

“Know Your Sector,” is a three-minute, 40-second video, designed to help nonprofit executives spread the word about philanthropy’s economic value.

“In the United States, 1 in 244 workers are lawyers; 1 in 57 wait tables; 1 in 10 work for a nonprofit.” Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Waitress Photo Credit: “Marge” by Tommy Gooch

“The majority of these work in health care and education.” Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

“There are almost 2 million nonprofits in the U.S. This number has roughly doubled in the last 15 years.” Source: Independent Sector

“Each year in the U.S. $300 billion is donated to charities.” Source: Giving USA 2010

“83% of all donations are made by individuals. Source: Giving USA 2010

“70% of US households make at least one donation each year. The average giving is $2,333 per household.” Source: Independent Sector

“Nearly half of all donations support religion and education. 4% goes toward the arts and 2% goes toward the environment and animals.” Source: Giving USA 2010

“Donations represent only 27% of income for nonprofits. 73% of nonprofit income is earned from such sources as tuition, hospital patient fees, and ticket sales.” Source: US Dept of Commerce: Bureau of Economic Analysis

“Nonprofits in the U.S. generate $1.1 trillion every year.” Source: Urban Institute, National Center for Charitable Statistics

“That’s more than the entire economies of Saudi Arabia and Sweden combined.” Source: World Bank

“The United Way, the World’s largest charity, brought in over $4 billion last year.” Source: Forbes – America’s 200 Largest Charities

“6.5% of Americans volunteer for nonprofits every day, averaging 2.3 hours a day. That equals 7.6 million employees.” Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

“There are over 70,000 foundations in the U.S.” Source: Foundation Center

“Five of the ten largest are on the West Coast. None of these existed fifty years ago.” Source: Foundation Center – Top 100 U.S. Foundations

“The Gates Foundation, the world’s largest foundation, is worth about $30 billion.” Source: Foundation Center – Top 100 U.S. Foundations

“It must give away $5.8 million per workday.” Source: IRS Code IRC 4942e (requires that a foundation must typically pay 5% of the fair market value of its assets annually)

“Nonprofits have developed medications and technologies.” Source: www.ipadvocate.org – University Inventions That Changed the World