Schwab Charitable, one of the largest managers of donor-advised funds in the United States, has announced that it awarded a total of $742 million in grants to charities in 2013, up some 36 percent from 2012 and its largest year-over-year percentage increase in five years.

Grants ranging from $50 to $10 million were awarded to more than forty-one thousand charities in a variety of issue areas, including education, health and human services, social benefit, and religion, with substantial increases registered across all sectors. The increase in grantmaking peaked during the fourth quarter, with the value of grants made during the quarter up some 53 percent and the number of grants up 37 percent compared with the fourth quarter of 2012.

The financial services firm also reported that appreciated assets — for which donors receive an immediate tax deduction without having to pay capital gains tax on the appreciated value of the asset in question — comprised more than 65 percent of all assets contributed to Schwab Charitable in 2013, another five-year high.

"We are thrilled to have seen another robust giving season," said Schwab Charitable president Kim Laughton. "A strong stock market provided a double boost to giving in 2013. Many of our clients had more windfalls from appreciated assets in their portfolios to share with their favorite charities. In addition, the value of the investments in their donor-advised accounts also grew, making more funds available for granting."