World Giving Index 2024

The Charities Aid Foundation released the 2024 version of its annual World Giving Index in late August. From the introduction:

Surveying over 145,000 people across over 140 countries last year, the fourteenth edition of the World Giving Index demonstrates how people have not only maintained the time they spend volunteering, but also that increasing numbers are donating money and providing help to strangers. The global index score is at its joint-highest level, only previously matched during the pandemic.

Indonesia once more tops our World Giving Index rankings, alongside a top 10 drawn from nations throughout Africa, Oceania, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America – with 73% of the world’s population giving time, money, or helping a stranger last year.

By looking at Singapore, we can see how government efforts may be helping to increase charitable activity. The country has significantly increased its rates of volunteering and giving, rising 19 places to third place in this year’s index. Recent government initiatives include new schemes to encourage deeper partnerships between charities and businesses on volunteering, as well as tax relief and government matching on charitable donations.

For these success stories to be replicated globally, governments should make it easy to give and support efforts to build resilient civil society organisations. By making sure the right building blocks are in place, we can grow giving and community engagement to work towards a vibrant civil society in every country. 

Lloyd Mayer