Dutch charities profit from growing economy, gifts

Dutch charities are benefiting greatly from the growing economy. Thanks in part to large donations from estates, the 25 largest Dutch charities raised a total of 822 million euros last year, an increase of 13 percent compared to 2015, the Volkskrant reports based on its annual charity survey.

Cancer fund KWF is still the largest charity in the Netherlands, raising 119 million euros last year. In 2015 the KWF raised 116.9 million euros. Hartsticthing and the Oranjefonds came second and third with 53 million and 52.8 million euros respectively.

The Oranjefonds particularly benefited from gifts from large estates - the Neyenburgh family foundation, founded by the designer of the Silvo Gehaktkruidenmix, donated 51 million euros to the Oranjefonds.

According to the newspaper, donations to charity usually follow the economy with some delay. After the 2008 financial crisis, charities experienced a number of lean years, reinforced by unrest among donors about how charities spend their money. The trust that donors have in charities is now back to pre-crisis levels, according to the Volkskrant.

"Support from society for charity is robust and deeply rooted in Dutch culture", Gosse Bosma, director of sector organization Goede Doelen Nederland, said to the newspaper.