Giving Attitudes Surveyed By Harris Interactive
Don’t know how I missed this, but back in November Harris Interactive released this very interesting survey on the charitable giving habits and plans of Americans. Their report includes some interesting trend data comparing 2007 and 2010 responses.
Most respondents (48%) categorize themselves as follows: “I make some kind of small contribution of time and/or money to organizations and causes I believe in, to show my support.” Whereas only 9% say: “I an extremely involved in giving time and/or money to organizations and causes I believe in.”
Their personal highest priorities for giving:
- 21% – Youth/families
- 14% – Medical research
- 10% – Education
- 8% – Animals
- 6% – Human rights
- 6% – Environment
- 5% – Disaster relief
- 3% – Global health
- 15% – Other
- 12% – Not sure
39% say they have taken action as a result of following a cause or charity online. Of these, 54% say they have talked to a friend or family member, 33% have contacted an elected representative, 31% have made a financial contribution to the organization, 23% have made a contribution to a cause the organization supports.
Here’s a link to Harris Interactive’s full archive of consumer surveys.
Tom
2 responses to “Giving Attitudes Surveyed By Harris Interactive”
Behavioral Science Q & A
Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]
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I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]
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Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]
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Interesting question. I had a quick look at the testing done on this topic. On the positive side, in all cases, over half of donors decide to cover the fee. In some cases, it goes as high as 65%. Not a negligible percentage at all. Here’s another test from iRaiser showing consistent results (see point […]
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There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]
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I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
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What is interesting about this is that it is different from what the Giving USA statistics show…where religion and education are at the top of the list…religion doesn’t even show up here…neither do the arts.
I am more than a little disappointed that the arts are not included in this survey. I also notice that prior surveys conducted by Harris also exclude the arts. Does this mean that respondents aren’t asked about the arts or are disinterested. I hope it is the former.