Contributions to Fidelity Charitable Fund Rise 4.7% to $1.1 Billion

Investors contributed $1.1 billion to the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund in 2009, a 4.7% increase from the $1.05 billion they gave in 2008.

In addition, for the third year in a row, donors to the fund recommended a payout of more than $1 billion in 298,000 grants to charities. The fund, which is the nation’s largest donor-advised fund program and the third-largest public charity, supports 60,000 non-profit organizations.