Nearly 90% of Households Made Gifts; 44% Volunteered in 2000, Study Finds

Nearly 90 percent of American households made a donation to nonprofit groups last year, according

to data released last week by Independent Sector, a coalition of charities and foundations. The average amount contributed was $1,620, or 3.2 percent of income.

Independent Sector’s poll, conducted from May to July, found that the faltering economy has begun to affect charitable giving. Fifty-nine percent of Americans said they were worried about their future financial well-being, and those people donated an average of $1,201. People who weren’t worried about their finances contributed an average of $2,205.

The poll, conducted for Independent Sector by the Westat company, was based on data provided by 4,216 adults who were asked about their giving and volunteering in 2000. Because of changes made in the way the questions were asked, Independent Sector said the data released last week could not be compared to results of previous polls the organization has conducted.

A separate poll that Independent Sector released last month, taken in early October to gauge the effects of the terrorist attacks and the slumping economy, found that more than half of Americans believe the downturn in the economy will affect their giving in coming months (The Chronicle, November 1). Ten percent of Americans said that they would give no money to charity because of the state of the economy, and another 10 percent said they would greatly reduce their donations.

In the poll taken in the spring, 42 percent of those surveyed said they both gave money and volunteered.

Among the other key findings:

• Households with family members who attend religious services regularly contributed an average of $2,151 to nonprofit groups; those who don’t contributed an average of $964.
• Fifty-six percent of households said they had been asked to give; of those, 95 percent made a donation, compared to 79 percent of the households that didn’t receive any solicitations.
• Among the 60 percent of people who had Internet access, 12 percent said they went online to find out information about charitable contributions. Of those people, 6 percent said they made a contribution via a Web site.
• Ninety-two percent of adults who participated in charity efforts during their childhood or teenage years said they made a donation last year; their average gift was $1,869. Eighty-two percent of those who didn’t participate in charitable activities in their youth made gifts; the average donated was $1,219.
• Forty-four percent of Americans said they volunteered at a charity; 60 percent of those people said they volunteered monthly or more often.
• Forty-six percent of women volunteered, while 42 percent of men volunteered.

A summary of the key findings of the poll is available online at http://www.independentsector.org. A full report on the survey results is scheduled to be published in the spring. For more information, contact Independent Sector at 1200 18th Street, N.W., Suite 200, Washington 20036; (202) 467-6100.

GIVING AND VOLUNTEERING TRENDS: A SNAPSHOT

How Economy’s Woes Affect Giving

Influence of Solicitations

Learning Early About Giving

Religion and Charitable Gifts

Percentage of Americans Who Help Charitable Causes