Pa. charity donations decline, report shows

Pennsylvania foundations held 5.1 percent of U.S. charitable foundation assets, but Pennsylvania donors made only 3.6 percent of total new U.S. charitable donations in 2005, according to figures released today.

Pennsylvanians gave $7.9 billion to charities in 2005, with almost four-fifths coming from individuals, the rest from private and corporate foundations, the nonprofit Delaware Valley Grantmakers and Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania said in a joint report.

The report covered 2005, the most recent year for which data were available.

Donations measured in constant dollars rose 62 percent from 1995 to 2000, but only 24 percent from 2000 to 2005, while foundation assets rose 68 percent in the earlier period, but only 5 percent in the more recent five-year period. Pennsylvania foundations gave more to arts programs, and less to health-related charities, than the U.S. average; just over half the grants went to Pennsylvania groups, and the rest went out-of-state.