Romania ranks first in EU for donations relative to income

According to the World Giving Report released by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), Romania has ranked first in the European Union regarding donations as a proportion of income. The report, based on a survey of over 60,000 people across 105 countries, indicates that Romanians donated an average of 0.9% of their income to various causes, including charitable organizations, direct aid to individuals in need, and religious purposes.

Romania is followed in the EU ranking by Croatia at 0.8% and Ireland at 0.7%. While Romania leads in total income percentage, the data shows a different trend regarding specific charitable organizations; only 27% of Romanians reported donating to charities, whereas Ireland and the Netherlands saw higher proportions of the population contributing to formal organizations. In Ireland, more than two-thirds of the population made donations to charities in 2025.

Globally, the average donation rate stands at 1%, with Nigeria leading at 2.8% and Japan at the lowest end with 0.2%. Within Europe, the average donation as a share of income is 0.6%.