‘Over 45% individual donations in India go to religious bodies, 42% to beggars’

New Delhi: Over 45 per cent of individual donations in India are made to religious organisations while over 42 per cent go to beggars, according to the third edition of “How India gives” report.

The Centre for Social Impact & Philanthropy (CSIP) at Ashoka University has come up with the report that maps the scale, patterns, and drivers of everyday household giving across India, underscoring that Indians are among the most generous globally.

Based on 7,225 nationally representative surveys across 20 states and anchored to National Sample Survey (NSS) consumption data, the study was aimed at providing detailed insights to date into how ordinary Indians contribute to social causes through cash, in-kind support and volunteering.

The report estimates that India’s everyday household giving ecosystem is worth approximately Rs 540 billion (Rs 54,000 crore) annually, underscoring its significant but often under-recognised role within the country’s broader philanthropic landscape alongside Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and institutional philanthropy.

According to the report, a significant share of everyday contributions flows to religious organisations (45.9 per cent) and directly to individuals such as beggars (41.8 per cent), while only 14.9 per cent reaches non-religious organisations.

“This distribution represents both a challenge and an opportunity, highlighting the potential to strengthen pathways that connect everyday donors to organised social sector initiatives,” it said.

Commenting on the report launch, Jinny Uppal, Director and Head, CSIP, said, ‘How India Gives 2025–26’ brings visibility to a form of generosity that has always existed in India but is rarely measured.

“Everyday giving — through in-kind support, cash contributions and volunteering — is foundational to India’s development story. By anchoring our analysis to national consumption data and tracking patterns over time, we are able to understand not just how India gives, but how giving evolves as the country develops.

“The opportunity ahead lies in strengthening the bridges between everyday generosity and organised social impact,” said Uppal.

The report also revealed key patterns in how Indians give.

In-kind contributions account for the largest share of 46 per cent, slightly higher than cash donations of 44 per cent, while about 30 per cent of respondents reported volunteering, reflecting the relational and community-driven nature of giving.

In terms of learning channels, in-person canvassing is considered the most effective mode of engagement i.e. 25 per cent, followed by social media at approximately 15 per cent across regions. This underscores the continued importance of trust, proximity, and relational credibility in shaping giving decisions, even as digital outreach gains traction.

The report highlighted that everyday giving cuts across income groups, reflecting how Indians are among the most generous populations globally. Even at low consumption levels ( Rs 4,000–5,000 per month), about half of households’ report giving. As incomes rise, participation increases significantly, reaching

70–80 per cent among higher-consumption households.