Differences in Giving

Study Shows How Men and Women Differ in Charitable Giving

A new study by the Women’s Philanthropy Institute at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy breaks down how men and women give differently based on income, motives for giving, and which causes they donate to reports The Nonprofit Times.

Not only does the total income of the household affect giving, but more specifically, whose income increases individually. When the income of men increases, they will more likely give, or give more to, religious, youth, international, and combined purposes organizations. By contrast when the income of women increases, the couple will be more likely to give, in larger amounts, to charities that provide basic human needs, such as the Salvation Army, American Red Cross, and homeless shelters.

The research also looked into the giving of high net-worth households that bring in $250,000 or more and found they were more likely to give to each charitable subsector at higher amounts. The report showed that high net-worth women who are single are more likely to give to the arts and environment, while high net-worth men give to combination organizations like the United Way.

The study was based on previous research, which found that single women are more likely to give to charity and give more than single men. It also found that women tend to spread their giving across more organizations and give to almost every charitable subsector, while men concentrate their giving.

Photo: For the Poor Charity Box Basilica of St. Adelbert Grand Rapids December 29, 201016 via photopin (license)