Americans’ Social Ties: Trends Affecting Nonprofit Organizations
October 5, 2000 | Read Time: 2 minutes
- Growth of Nonprofit Organizations
- Rise and Fall of American Generosity
- Volunteering
- Membership
SOURCE: Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, by Robert Putnam, published by Simon & Schuster
Chronicle charts by Jasmine Stewart
| Growth of Nonprofit Organizations |
| 1870-1920: Key Decades for the Founding of Nonprofit Groups | |
| Organization | Founded |
|
|
|
| National Rifle Association | 1871 |
| Shriners | 1872 |
| Chautauqua Institute | 1874 |
| American Bar Association | 1878 |
| Salvation Army (U.S.) | 1880 |
| American Red Cross | 1881 |
| American Association of University Women | 1881 |
| Knights of Columbus | 1882 |
| American Federation of Labor | 1886 |
| International Association of Machinists (and later Aerospace Workers) | 1888 |
| Loyal Order of Moose | 1888 |
| Women’s Missionary Union (Southern Baptist) | 1888 |
| Hull House | 1889 |
| General Federation of Women’s Clubs | 1890 |
| United Mine Workers | 1890 |
| Organization | Founded |
|
|
|
| International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers | 1891 |
| International Longshoremen’s Association | 1892 |
| Sierra Club | 1892 |
| National Council of Jewish Women | 1893 |
| National Civic League | 1894 |
| American Bowling Congress | 1895 |
| Sons of Norway | 1895 |
| American Nurses Association | 1896 |
| Volunteers of America | 1896 |
| Irish-American Historical Society | 1897 |
| Parent-Teacher Association (originally National Congress of Mothers) | 1897 |
| Fraternal Order of Eagles | 1898 |
| Gideon Society | 1899 |
| Veterans of Foreign Wars | 1899 |
| National Consumers League | 1899 |
| International Ladies Garment Workers Union | 1900 |
| 4-H | 1901 |
| Aid Association for Lutherans | 1902 |
| Organization | Founded |
|
|
|
| Goodwill Industries | 1902 |
| National Farmers Union | 1902 |
| Big Brothers | 1903 |
| International Brotherhood of Teamsters | 1903 |
| Sons of Poland | 1903 |
| National Audubon Society | 1905 |
| Rotary | 1905 |
| Sons of Italy | 1905 |
| Boys Clubs of America | 1906 |
| Young Women’s Christian Association | 1906 |
| Big Sisters | 1908 |
| National Association for the Advancement of Colored People | 1909 |
| American Camping Association | 1910 |
| Boy Scouts | 1910 |
| Campfire Girls | 1910 |
| Urban League | 1910 |
| Organization | Founded |
|
|
|
| Girl Scouts | 1912 |
| Hadassah | 1912 |
| Community Chest (later United Way) | 1913 |
| Community foundations (Cleveland, Boston, Los Angeles, etc.) | 1914-15 |
| American Association of University Professors | 1915 |
| Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) | 1915 |
| Kiwanis | 1915 |
| Ku Klux Klan (second) | 1915 |
| Women’s International Bowling Congress | 1916 |
| Civitan | 1917 |
| Lions Club | 1917 |
| American Legion | 1919 |
| Optimists | 1919 |
| Business and Professional Women (BPW) | 1919 |
| American Civil Liberties Union | 1920 |
| American Farm Bureau Federation | 1920 |
| League of Women Voters | 1920 |
| Rise and Fall of American Generosity |
Note: Based on percentage of disposable income donated by members of 11 denominations.
Note: Based on percentage of household income donated.
| Volunteering |
| Membership |
