11 Stats on the Nonprofit Sector
I have spent my entire career in the nonprofit field. Because of that longevity and specialty, I am asked questions by those interested in the nonprofit field, such as those seeking full- or part-time employment, volunteer opportunities or just want to learn more about the nonprofit sector.
Because of the importance of the nonprofit sector in this changing society, updated nonprofit facts and statistics are important to know and understand. Here are 11 nonprofit sector stats:
- There are more than 10 million nonprofits and non-governmental organizations worldwide. (Source: Foundation Group)
- There are approximately 1.8 million nonprofits in the United States. (Source: Urban Institute - opens as pdf)
- California, Texas and New York have the most nonprofits. (Source: Cause IQ)
- Nonprofits employ 12.3 million people in the U.S. – about 10.2% of private sector employment (Source: U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics)
- Nonprofits spend $2 trillion annually, including nearly $1 trillion for goods and services, ranging from large expenses, like medical equipment for nonprofit hospitals, to everyday purchases such as office supplies, food, utilities, and rent, as well as $826 billion on salaries, benefits and payroll taxes every year. (Source: National Council for Nonprofits)
- Approximately 63 million Americans volunteered with nonprofits. (Source: Nonprofit Source)
- About 49% of high-net-worth households volunteers with nonprofits while 91% give to charity (Source: Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy - opens as pdf)
- Overall, volunteers are twice as likely to donate than non-volunteers. (Source: AmeriCorps)
- About 29% of giving occurs in December, with 11% happening in the last three days of the year. (Source: Network for Good)
- Overall giving has reached $484.85 billion. (Source: Giving USA Foundation)
- About 70% of nonprofit supporters prefer communications through email, with 7% citing direct mail and 6% indicating social media as their preferred channel. (Source: FreeWill).
It is important to have updated nonprofit sector facts and figures. The impact of this sector is profound, and by understanding this sector, it is hoped greater numbers of individuals will decide to be employed by nonprofits, donate time, talent and treasure to nonprofit organizations, and generally promote the sector.
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Duke Haddad, Ed.D., CFRE, is currently the divisional associate executive director of development for The Salvation Army Indiana Division. He specializes in corporate development and capital campaigns. When time allows, he serves as president of Duke Haddad and Associates LLC and as a freelance educator for various educational entities.
He has contributed more than 600 articles to NonProfit PRO since 2008.
He earned his doctorate degree from West Virginia University, with an emphasis in education administration and a dissertation on donor characteristics. He also holds a master’s degree from Marshall University, with an emphasis on public administration and a thesis on annual fund program analysis. He received his bachelor’s degree, cum laude, in marketing and management from West Virginia University.
Duke has received the Fundraising Executive of the Year Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Indiana Chapter. He also has been honored with the Outstanding West Virginian Award, the Kentucky Colonel Award, and theSagamore of the Wabash Award from the governors of West Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana, respectively, for his many career contributions to the field of philanthropy. He has been an AFP member for more than 40 years and has held the Certified Fund Executive (CFRE) designation for more than 30 years.
This year, Duke was named to Marquis Who’s Who in America for 2026-2027 and as an International CFRE Ambassador. He also recently published the book, "Prescriptions Rx for Nonprofit Success," which features more than 30 previously published articles, including several from NonProfit PRO.
