Fort Smith Times Record While a study by TOP marketing agency says charitable giving increased 11% in Arkansas from 2019-2020, nonprofits in the Fort Smith area have seen mixed results. The study states Arkansas residents on average gave $736 to charity in 2020 up from roughly $663 the year prior, putting the state ninth overall for the average amount donated by residents. The study looked at weekly spending data from 900,000 United States residents. This spending was then mapped to more than 150 preselected charities, including the American Red Cross, Catholic Relief Services, and Goodwill, and then cross-checked with the organizations. Nationally, residents gave 25% more than the year prior despite widespread financial uncertainty from COVID-19, according to the study.