Saudi Arabia's Non-Profit Sector Achieves Over SAR 100 Billion Economic Contribution For The First Time

Saudi Arabia's non-profit sector has reached a milestone, contributing over SAR 100 billion to the economy for the first time. This accounts for 3.3% of the Kingdom's GDP, as revealed in the Prospects for the Non-Profit Sector 2025 report by the King Khalid Foundation. The sector is on track to meet its Vision 2030 target of 5% GDP contribution two years early.

The report highlights significant contributions within the sector. Awqaf accounted for SAR 48 billion, according to the General Authority for Awqaf. Non-profit organizations added SAR 47 billion in spending, based on data from the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). Volunteering contributed an estimated SAR 5 billion, while cooperative societies added SAR 2 billion, as per the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.

Education and research organizations led revenue generation in this sector, surpassing SAR 19 billion. Health organizations recorded the highest spending at SAR 15 billion. This was driven by converting government assets in health and education into non-profit entities. Organizations focused on culture, entertainment, and social services reported high employment rates.

The report also examined funding sources, highlighting government support and digital donation platforms' roles. Together, they raised over SAR 15 billion in 2024. The National Platform for Charitable Work (Ehsan) saw significant contributions from small donors (SAR 1, SAR 10, and SAR 100). Meanwhile, major philanthropists (donations of SAR 100,000 or more) accounted for 26% of total contributions.

Community engagement in the non-profit sector remained robust. In 2024, about 23% of Saudi citizens participated in volunteer work. Additionally, nearly half (47%) made donations during that year. These figures underscore strong community involvement in supporting non-profit initiatives across the Kingdom.

The full report can be accessed on the King Khalid Foundation’s official website: www.kkf.org.sa --SPA

With inputs from SPA