Dossier
charitable bequests
Coverage of charitable bequests in the Nexus archive.
- American giving hit $617 billion in 2025 — and the Paul Allen effect exposes who’s really driving it
U.S. charitable giving reached $617 billion in 2025, a 3% increase driven by growth in bequests and foundation donations. Charitable bequests rose 16.6% to $62 billion, partly due to strong stock market performance, while foundation giving hit an inflation-adjusted record of $117 billion. Paul Allen’s estate contributed $3.1 billion in 2025 through a bequest.