Charitable-Giving Plan Divides Nonprofit Groups and Worries Donors

Donations by individuals grew by 14.8 percent in 1986, to $127-billion, and then dropped to $118-billion in 1987, the year the tax change took effect, according to Giving USA, the annual tally of philanthropy.

“The obvious message is that fund raisers could use this to get more donations this year and next year, Mr. Steinberg said.