Record $5.2 billion given through Fidelity Charitable in 2018

Donors made grants of a record $5.2 billion from their donor-advised funds at Fidelity Charitable in 2018, which was $700 million more than in 2017, according to a report released by the charity. Last year's giving was particularly impressive given the "uncertainty around tax reform and extreme market volatility during giving season," said Pamela Norley, president of Fidelity Charitable. (More: Tax-smart year-end charitable giving) Fidelity Charitable is an independent public charity that launched the first national donor-advised fund program in 1991. It has helped donors support more than 278,000 nonprofit organizations with nearly $35 billion in grants, Fidelity said.