American Private Giving Outpaces U.S. Government Aid, Report Says- U.S. Department Of State

American Private Giving Outpaces U.S. Government Aid, Report Says- U.S. Department Of State: "American Private Giving Outpaces U.S. Government Aid, Report Says

Index on Global Philanthropy initiates annual survey of private international giving

Washington -- The U.S. private sector donates to international causes at a level nearly four times the amount spent by the U.S. government on official development assistance (ODA), according to a report about to be published by the Hudson Institute’s Center for Global Prosperity.

Called the Index on Global Philanthropy, the report tallies $71 billion in international donations by U.S. private charities, religious organizations, universities, corporations, foundations, and immigrants sending money home for the year of 2004 (the latest year available).

That compares to $20 billion in government foreign aid for the same year. The Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) ranks the United States as the biggest donor of government foreign aid among developed countries in terms of total dollars given. But, in another measurement, OECD figures each country’s aid as a percentage of its gross national income, which puts the United States second-to- last -- with 0.17 percent of its GNI given as foreign aid."