Say Thanks When Giving to Charity

Quick—take this true/false quiz!

1. Slightly fewer than half of all Americans give to charity.

2. Donations to charities rise and fall with changes in the economy.

3. Most wealthy individuals donate to gain recognition.

4. Liberals tend to give more generously than conservatives.

Based on recent studies by Gallup, Charity Navigator and the Center for Philanthropy at Indiana University, the answer to each question is...

False!

Here are some notable findings from the recent studies:

· Americans are very generous. Between 69 and 72% make charitable donations.

· Donations tend to keep rising each year. They increased in each of 39 out of 40 consecutive years. That’s through 2007, the most recent data available. The one down year was 1987.

· Most wealthy persons donate in order to give back to the community. Public recognition is essentially a “non-factor.”

· People who describe themselves as “conservative” or “very conservative” tend to give more than those who see themselves as “liberal” or “very liberal.”

Many people find the last point politically sensitive. So, just for fun, see how you compare to the levels of giving below identified in one of the studies.

Percentage of income donated by persons who described themselves as:

• Very conservative – 4.5%
• Conservative – 3.6%
• Moderate – 3%
• Liberal – 1.5%
• Very Liberal – 1.2%

Some pundits point out that conservatives often give to churches (i.e., the religious right) which accounts for the higher percentages. They make a distinction between churches and charities.

Consider this interesting finding from a study conducted by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University for Bank of America:

“Donors believe charitable contributions have a greater impact on their personal fulfillment than on the organizations they support.”

This sentiment is consistent with the concept of Zakah, an Islamic term for paying alms (charity). Zakah means purification. By giving alms, one becomes purified. Take a look at the very brief Quick Vue video below. (It's only 1 minute and 30 seconds in length.) Note at the end how the speaker says that donors should show gratitude toward those they help.

Then think again about the above findings. Perhaps you'll see charitable donations a little differently.


Sources for this post included Gallup, Charity Navigator, The Center for Philanthropy at Indiana University, The Wall Street Journal, Islamic Research Foundation International, Inc.