Does partisanship influence charitable giving? | SurveyMonkey Apply (2024)

America is one of the most generous countries in the world. According to the 2017 CAF World Giving Index, the US ranks fifth globally in charitable participation and giving, and in 2017, donations reached a new height of $390.05 billion.

As a whole, it’s clear that Americans are incredibly philanthropic.

But what if we looked at things through a political lens? Americans are divided by partisan lines on many issues, and as we head into 2018 the divide continues to grow. Has this partisanship carried over to philanthropy?

Democrats and Republicans believe that it has. Recent survey results show that 95% of Democrats believe Liberals are a more charitable group, while 81% of Republicans believe Conservatives are more charitable. Are they right?

Taking a closer look

In a survey conducted using SurveyMonkey Audience, we asked 2,073 adults and found out that in reality, neither are quite right.

Even with different views on many issues, Democrats and Republicans are equally generous in their giving habits.

In fact, the majority of Republicans and Democrats have already donated money to, or volunteered with, a nonprofit organization in 2017 and many still plan to contribute before the year ends.

The largest proportion of both groups have donated money, and more than half of each group has volunteered their time. It’s inspiring to see that Americans, regardless of political stance, are incredibly driven to support nonprofits.

Does partisanship influence charitable giving? | SurveyMonkey Apply (1)

A different divide

Despite the generosity of both Democrats and Republicans, there are some differences in the amounts that individuals donate.

While the tendency to give is common, Republicans donate larger sums than Democrats.

Overall giving levels rise as incomes grow for both groups, but Republicans give slightly more at each income level. To offer one example, in households with an annual income under $29,000, 36% of Republicans donated $101-$1000, compared to 26% of Democrats. The trend continues in this direction across all brackets, as seen in the graphic below.

Does partisanship influence charitable giving? | SurveyMonkey Apply (2)

Looking forward

The desire that Americans have to help is inspiring, and they’re not looking to slow down. Over a quarter of Republicans and Democrats have donated more in 2017 than they did in 2016, while the remaining have maintained their level of giving.

Does partisanship influence charitable giving? | SurveyMonkey Apply (3)

What motivates Americans to donate to a good cause? Both Republicans and Democrats cite a desire to help the greater good as the primary factor for why they donate, with helping specific causes and supporting friends and relatives ranking second and third.

Does partisanship influence charitable giving? | SurveyMonkey Apply (4)

It seems that while Republicans and Democrats disagree on many issues, both are committed to putting their wallets where their hearts are. The inclination to give appears to have no relationship to one’s partisan or views.

At SurveyMonkey, we’re dedicated to making it easy for individuals to support the causes they believe in and provide solutions for thousands of nonprofit organizations.

Since 2011, millions of individuals have contributed upwards of $11.5 million to 50+ charities through the SurveyMonkey Contribute platform, and thousands of organizations have used SurveyMonkey Apply, a grants management solution, to fund incredible causes around the world. To date, SurveyMonkey Apply has helped organizations give over $2 billion in grants.

Does partisanship influence charitable giving? | SurveyMonkey Apply (2024)

FAQs

Do Republicans or Democrats donate to charity more? ›

While the tendency to give is common, Republicans donate larger sums than Democrats. Overall giving levels rise as incomes grow for both groups, but Republicans give slightly more at each income level.

What is the positive impact of charitable giving on the individual and the community? ›

It will enrich your life, familiarize you with your community, and connect you to people and ideas that will positively impact your perspective for the rest of your life. Helping your community is an opportunity for you to grow as a person, to better understand how you fit into the world around you.

What is the most common reason people give for making charitable contributions? ›

People give for many reasons, but the number one reason is that it makes them feel good to help others. Andrew Carnegie, one of the most famous American philanthropists, donated funds for libraries all across the United States.

What is the most common benefit from charitable giving? ›

Benefits of Donating Money Every Year
  • Inspire Additional Donations. ...
  • Cultivate Generous Kids. ...
  • Feel Wealthier. ...
  • A Great Addition to Volunteering. ...
  • Become More Thankful. ...
  • Improve Your Health. ...
  • Double Your Impact. ...
  • Receive a Tax Deduction.

Who is more likely to donate to charity? ›

Single women donors on average give higher dollar amounts to charity than single men. Divorced/separated, never-married, and widowed women are more likely to give, and give higher amounts, than their male counterparts. As women's incomes rise, they become more likely to give to charity than their male counterparts.

Who gives the most charitable donations? ›

Bill Gates

What are three cons to charitable giving? ›

Cons
  • You must be a certain age to contribute.
  • There are contribution limits.
  • Not all charities qualify to receive QCDs.
  • Not eligible for itemized charitable tax deduction.
  • Must work with your IRA custodian to make your contribution directly from the account.
Dec 7, 2023

What are three benefits of charitable giving? ›

Summary. Charitable giving can provide many benefits, from a sense of fulfillment and community building to helping minimize taxes. Charitable giving can provide many benefits to the giver that go beyond being kind and generous to charities — from a sense of fulfillment and community building to helping minimize taxes.

Is it better to give to many charities or just a few? ›

For Donors: Donating to fewer organizations will make your giving easier to track and monitor the organization's progress based on their programs' outcomes. By reducing the amount of correspondence you receive, you can focus on learning about the work of those organizations you selected.

What is the psychology behind donating to charity? ›

Many studies suggest that people often act generously out of an expectation that their generosity will be reciprocated or because they feel it will help their reputation. A person's gener- osity is also influenced by cultural norms, such as standards of fairness. Strong social networks may also influence generosity.

Why do charities ask for $19 a month? ›

It's also easier to convince donors to make recurring payments of $19 rather than $20 a month. If the standard donation amount was a nice round number like $20, people could quickly calculate that that adds up to $240 a year—which may sound like a lot. Twelve payments of $19 come out to $228.

What is the psychology of giving to charity? ›

The donor psychology here is that generally, giving makes us happy. Humans are hard wired when it comes to pleasure and lots of people feel good when they give. This rush of inner warmth and contentment is known by psychologists as 'Egoism'.

Who gives more to charity, rich or poor? ›

Giving by income level

Middle-class Americans donate a little less. But the lower-income population surprises by giving more than the middle—and in some measures even more than the top. (As a percentage of available income, that is. In absolute dollars, those in higher income groups give much, much more money.)

Which religion donates the most to charity? ›

Mormons are the most generous Americans, both by participation level and by size of gifts. Evangelical Christians are next.

What charity gives the least to their cause? ›

Here are some of the worst offenders:
  • Kids Wish Network.
  • Cancer Fund of America.
  • Children's Wish Foundation International.
  • American Breast Cancer Foundation.
  • Firefighters Charitable Foundation.
  • Breast Cancer Relief Foundation.
  • International Union of Police Associations, AFL-CIO.
  • National Veterans Service Fund.
May 6, 2024

Which group donates the most? ›

Givers according to religious affiliations

According to several studies, people of the Jewish faith are the biggest givers of all religious groups — donating an average of $2,526 annually. Additionally, at least one study reports that Muslims donate an average of $3,200 a year.

Who are the largest political donors in us? ›

Top Individual Contributors: All Federal Contributions, 2023-2024
RankContributor
1Yass Jeffrey S. & Janine Yass Susquehanna International Group Haverford, PA
2Griffin Kenneth C. Griffin Citadel LLC Chicago, IL
3Mellon Timothy Mellon Retired Saratoga, WY
4Uihlein Richard & Elizabeth A. Uihlein Uline Inc Lake Forest, IL
34 more rows
Feb 2, 2024

Who is more successful Democrats or Republicans? ›

Since World War II, the United States economy has performed significantly better on average under the administration of Democratic presidents than Republican presidents.

What are the statistics on charitable giving? ›

Giving by individuals totaled an estimated $319.04 billion, declining 6.4 percent in 2022 (a decline of 13.4 percent, adjusted for inflation). Giving by foundations grew 2.5 percent, to an estimated $105.21 billion in 2022 (a decline of 5.0 percent, adjusted for inflation).

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