A new edition of the World Giving Report, one of the most comprehensive global studies on giving and philanthropy conducted by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), has been published. The study surveyed more than 60,000 respondents across 105 countries, providing insights into giving habits, motivations, and the factors influencing charitable donations.
According to the findings, 61% of people worldwide donated money during 2025, either to charitable organisations, directly to people in need, or for religious purposes. The most common form of giving was direct donations to people in need, followed closely by donations to civil society organisations.
Data for Croatia show that 68% of citizens donated money during 2025, contributing an average of 0.8% of their income, which is above the European average of 0.6%. Croatian citizens most frequently provide direct assistance to people in need, while donations to organisations are primarily directed to local and national civil society organisations.
The study shows that the decision to donate is influenced not only by financial capacity but also by a sense of belonging to the community, personal values, and trust in the organisations receiving donations. Countries where citizens feel a strong connection to their local communities report significantly higher levels of giving, highlighting the important role of social cohesion in fostering philanthropy.
Globally, Nigeria was identified as the most generous country based on the share of income donated. Notably, none of the ten most generous countries according to this indicator are European; instead, countries from Africa and Asia dominate the ranking. The findings demonstrate that generosity is not necessarily linked to economic wealth, but is also shaped by broader social and cultural factors.
The full report and detailed findings are available on the World Giving Report website.
