The Netherlands’ 25 biggest charities had a combined increase in donations of 6.5% last year, taking their income to €684m, the Volkskrant says in its annual review of charity income.

The anti-cancer charity KWF Kankerbestrijding has grown into the biggest Dutch charity with donations of €88m and profits on share-trading, the paper says. Amnesty International, medical charity Artsen zonder Grenzen and the Liliane fund are all among the winners.
‘Charities are relatively insensitive to economic cycles,’ professor of philanthropy Theo Schuyt told the paper. ‘They get small amounts from millions of households and those donations do not depend on the stock exchange.’
Nevertheless, charities have lost money on their stock exchange investments.The combined assets of the 10 biggest charities were down €577m to €2.1bn, the Volkskrant said.
But donations are expected to be down this year, partly because stock-based inheritances will be worth less, the paper said.