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A2 UP FRONT
Thursday 6 July 2023
The wealthy should give more to charity, according to a new poll

From Front

By SARA HERSCHANDER
Chronicle of Philanthropy
A new poll of Americans
found that nearly half of
those who stopped giving
to charity over the past
five years said they did
so because they thought
wealthier people could af-
ford to give more — and
should. Others said they
simply could not afford to
give.The survey of more
than 2,100 adults across the
United States, released by
the Better Business Bureau's
Give.org, adds to research
on the shrinking number of
households that contribute
to charity each year, drop-
ping from 66% in 2000 to
49.6% in 2018. The impact
of the decline became A pallet of food awaits processing as volunteers work in the background to label cans of beans for redistribution at Roadrunner Food
even more clear when a Bank in Albuquerque, N.M., Thursday, May 7, 2020.
Giving USA report revealed Associated Press
donations from individu- age 76 and above main- asked to donate, com- AND TRUST According to the report, al-
als dropped by 13.4% af- taining or increasing their pared with 3.8% of boom- Americans' trust in the char- most half of Gen Zers who
ter inflation and led to one contributions, compared ers. When it comes to ities soliciting them also maintained their contribu-
of the steepest declines in with 67% of boomers, 57% younger donors, "we have plays a role in their decision tions attribute their sup-
contributions in recent de- of Gen Xers, 57% of millen- to learn how to reach them to donate, according to port to wanting to be part
cades. nials, and 42% of Gen Zers. where they are rather than the report. Beyond finan- of something bigger than
Art Taylor, CEO of BBB's — Respondents who hope that they will come cial concerns, those who themselves. Younger gen-
Give.org, says that many stopped contributing to to us," says Elvia Castro, as- stopped or decreased their erations also want easier
nonprofits have attracted charities were less likely sociate director of charity contributions over the past ways to identify charities
wealthy donors to their than those who maintained evaluation at BBB's Give. five years pointed to con- working in their communi-
causes, and that is turning their contributions to be- org, and lead author of the cerns about transparency ties and led by people who
off people of more modest lieve that donating to non- report. The millennials and and how their donations share their gender, race,
means who don't think their profits was more effective Gen Zers surveyed were far were being used. political affiliation, and oth-
gifts are needed. than shopping at socially more likely than older gen- On the other hand, 72% of er identity markers.
Taylor says he worries about responsible businesses, with erations to trust newer so- people who increased their "If we can grow giving
that trend because he says only one in four saying that licitation channels, such as contributions said it was es- that's rooted in people's
an overreliance on affluent donating had a stronger social media, crowdfund- sential to trust a charity be- holistic sense of who they
givers can leave nonprofits impact. Among Gen Zers, ing sites, and giving circles. fore giving, and one fourth are, it's going to be more
vulnerable to the interests 52% said shopping at re- They're also less likely to en- said they would probably sustainable because it's
of a few powerful people sponsible businesses had gage in traditional drivers donate more if provided rooted in their experience,"
versus a community of sup- the same or greater im- of small donations, includ- additional information says Shang, who noted
porters. pact. ing religious and workplace about the impact of their that identity-based giving
"Large numbers of small — Participants who giving, which declined 10% contributions. can be more reliable than
gifts give charities indepen- stopped donating to chari- from 2016 to 2018. While financial transpar- donations driven by bursts
dence," he says. ties over the past five years "Charities are trained to ency can bolster gifts and of generosity, for example,
Middle- and upper-income said they were most likely spend as little as they assuage the concerns of in the aftermath of a natu-
Americans were especially to increase future contribu- can on fundraising — that skeptical donors, it's impor- ral disaster.
likely to point toward super- tions if it was easier to find means they go after the tant that fundraisers not be Appealing to a broader
wealthy donors for their de- charities serving their com- big money," says Taylor, disheartened by statistics and more representative
cision not to donate. More munity (17.6%) or led by who acknowledged trying on trust in charities, says Jen pool of donors can provide
than 59% of those surveyed people who share their po- newer fundraising meth- Shang, co-director of the a feedback loop for creat-
with household incomes litical identity (17.6%). ods might be difficult for Institute for Sustainable Phi- ing inclusive and effective
above $70,000 believe that ENGAGING YOUNGER nonprofits with established lanthropy and an expert in programs and attracting
wealthier people should DONORS practices. But he said in- philanthropic psychology. new contributors, says Cas-
drive donations, compared While the report doesn't of- vesting in them would pay "Just because people ex- tro.
with 47% of households fer a one-size-fits-all solution off in the long run, and it press general distrust of "If less people are en-
over all. Over 55% of those for charities to tap more ev- might be time to discontin- the sector doesn't mean gaged, it's a real concern
who stopped giving say eryday donors, the young- ue old approaches. that your donors don't trust for the health of the sec-
they don't earn enough to est Americans surveyed "We have to look at some you and your cause is not tor," she says. "Not only are
afford donating to charity. said a major obstacle to of the engines that pow- worthwhile," she says. there fewer people, which
The survey also found: contributing to charities is ered small donations for What's more, Americans makes the charity more
— Older generations were simple: They aren't being lots of people and ask our- consistently rank trust in vulnerable, but the people
more likely to have donat- asked. selves if those engines are charities as higher than trust who are giving will be less
ed over the past five years, More than 45% of Gen Zers still as effective," he says. in government, corpora- representative of the peo-
with 72% of respondents said they haven't been BUILDING COMMUNITY tions, and the news media. ple who they're serving."q