Boston-based Fidelity Charitable has announced that its donor-advised funds awarded $10.3 billion in grants in 2021, a 41 percent increase over pre-pandemic giving in 2019.

According to the organization’s 2022 Giving Report (28 pages, PDF), 2.2 million grants were awarded to 187,000 charities, with 2021 grant dollars increasing 13 percent year-over-year. The report revealed that COVID-19 effects influenced grant activity, including continued support for direct medical and economic aid, as well as organizations advocating for equity for Asian-American communities. In addition, the arts and culture sector saw a 4 percent year-over-year increase in grant dollars.

The report also found increased giving from nontraditional sources, as 66 percent of contribution dollars to Fidelity Charitable were in the form of non-cash assets in 2021, including $331 million in digital assets, a nearly twelvefold increase over the $28 million contributed in 2020. And contributions of non-publicly traded assets such as restricted stock, private equity, or limited partnership interests totaled $2 billion.

“The phenomenal giving we saw from Fidelity Charitable donors in 2020 continued to grow in 2021, showing us that this increase in generosity is a sustainable trend,” said Fidelity Charitable president Jacob Pruitt. “Meeting the challenges of 2021 required fortitude and resilience, and Fidelity Charitable donors stepped up yet again to help their neighbors and make a difference in their communities.”

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