Even in the Nonprofit World, Average Americans Are Getting Squeezed Out by the 1 Percent

The majority of philanthropic giving has always primarily come from the rich, given that they have most of the money.

As inequality has risen in the U.S. over the last several decades, the share of charitable giving coming from the wealthy has grown, too, worrying some people who fear the increasing power of these big donors. It gives those donors increasing influence over how nonprofits operate, who nonprofits must court for money and the kind of work that gets funded.

The Institute for Policy Studies, a left-wing think tank, recently released a report showing that from 2003 to 2013, charitable deductions by people making over $100,000 rose by 40 percent, but declined by 34 percent for those making less than $100,000.