When it comes to giving, Europe presents a paradox: some of its wealthiest nations are among the least generous, while a few smaller economies punch well above their weight. The latest World Giving Report from the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) paints a detailed picture of donation habits across the continent, based on surveys of more than 60,000 people in 105 countries.
The report, which measured giving throughout 2025, found that nearly six in ten Europeans gave money to good causes—either directly to people in need, to charities, or for religious reasons. But the scale and nature of that giving vary enormously from country to country.
Who gives the most in Europe?
Ireland and the Netherlands stand out for the sheer breadth of their donor base. More than two-thirds of Irish adults donated to charity in 2025, a share slightly higher than in the Netherlands. Romania, by contrast, presents a very different profile: only 27% of Romanians gave to charity, yet their donations averaged 0.4% of income—matching the levels seen in Ireland and the Netherlands.
When the measure expands to include all forms of giving—religious contributions and direct help to individuals—Romania climbs to the top of the EU ranking, with total donations averaging 0.9% of income. Croatia follows at 0.8%, and Ireland at 0.7%. At the other end of the scale, Latvia records the lowest overall giving as a share of income, while Hungary and Slovakia have the lowest rates of charity-specific donations.
These figures are particularly notable given Romania's ongoing struggles with EU funds and political instability, as seen in the recent forfeiture of €770 million in recovery funds. Despite such challenges, Romanian generosity remains a bright spot.
Europe's overall giving gap
Despite being home to some of the world's richest economies, Europe is the least generous continent when giving is measured as a share of income. Europeans donated an average of 0.6% of their income in 2025, compared with a global average of 1%. The bloc's three largest economies—Germany, France, and Italy—all averaged just 0.4%.
No EU country makes the global top 10 for generosity. That list is dominated by low- and lower-middle-income nations, with Nigeria topping the ranking at 2.8% of income. Eight of the top ten are in Africa, and two in Asia. In those countries, 80% of people donated, and they gave an average of 2.1% of income—more than double the global average.
The contrast is stark: Japan, the world's third-largest economy, records the lowest giving rate at just 0.2% of income, despite having a nominal GDP per capita roughly 28 times that of Nigeria. Japan also shows the lowest trust in charities, with an average score of five out of ten.
Outside the EU, Ukraine stands out as a notable exception to Europe's low giving rates. With 61% of people donating and contributions averaging 1.2% of income, Ukrainians give at levels far above the European norm—a reflection, perhaps, of the solidarity that has emerged during wartime.
Why do Europeans give less?
The report identifies a strong link between giving and a sense of community belonging. Countries where more than 80% of people feel a strong attachment to their local community give, on average, three times as much as those where fewer than half do. This may help explain why northern and eastern European nations, with their strong social cohesion, often outperform their wealthier western neighbours.
When Europeans do give, they most often choose charities (38%), followed by direct help to individuals (26%) and religious giving (14%). Globally, direct giving is the most common route, at 36%. Europeans also show a notable preference for international causes: Norway and Sweden are the only countries where more than half of donors support organisations working across borders. The most widely supported cause among European donors is children and young people, backed by 29% of givers.
The reasons for not giving are telling. Two in five non-donors say they simply cannot afford it—a figure that rises to 44% in high-income countries. The second most common reason, cited by 17%, is a preference to help in other ways, such as volunteering or donating goods.
These findings challenge the assumption that wealth automatically translates into generosity. As the report notes, the gap between the most and least generous countries is not just about money—it is about trust, community, and the ways people choose to connect with those around them.
