Share the WealthMinnesota Public Radio - 2002Facts and FiguresPeople who attend religious services gave 2.3% of their income, compared with 1.3% for those who do not. 70.1% of American households contribute to charity each year The average American household contributes 2.1% of its annual income to charity The average American household contributes $1,075 each year. People 75 years of age or older give nearly 5% of their household income to charity. Retirees as a group report higher than average giving - 2.5% of their household income compared with 2.1 % for the average American household. College graduates (who also have the highest incomes) are most likely to contribute to charity - 81% contribute, but only a reported average 2% of their household income, below the national average of 2.1%. Lower-income donors have become increasingly generous. In 1995, Americans with annual incomes below $10,000 donated 4.3% of their household incomes. Conversely, those in the $75,000 to $99,000 bracket gave only 1.8% of their household When asked to make a donation by a foundation or charitable organization, 81% of households donated money. The average annual contribution for all households (both contributors and noncontributors) in 1998 was $754 (1.7% of total household income). Seven out of ten households reported making contributions to charity in 1998. 62% of donors believe most charitable organizations are honest and ethical in their use of funds. 71% of those surveyed said they were "very" or "extremely" concerned about the security of their personal information online. Nearly 90% said they would never give their credit-card information out to a charity or public interest group. Donors with at least one family member who volunteers give twice as much of their income than do those who don't volunteer. 47% of donors contributed and had a volunteer. These households gave an average of 2.5% of their household income, compared with 1.2% among the 23% of households that contributed but did not volunteer. In 1998, volunteers reported average household contributions of $1,339, compared with $524 for non-volunteers. In 1999, Americans (individuals, foundations, and corporations) gave $190 billion in charitable gifts. $143.71 billion came from individual givers. In 1999, Americans gave 1.8% of their personal incomes to charity, and that amount totaled 2.1% of the gross domestic product. The last time giving was that large a share of the GDP was in 1971. Public benefit charities saw a decline in giving in 1999. United Way, and other organizations like it lost 1.4% of their raw charitable gifts. $15.61 billion was given by bequest in 1999. Nearly all charitable donations by African Americans, Southerners, and born-again Christians were given in the pew. Evangelicals are among the most likely to throw a $20 in the collection basket - on average, they contributed $2,346 last year to their churches. In 1998, Al Gore and his family gave away 7% of their taxable income to charity, amounting to $15,197. George W. Bush and family gave 2% of their much larger income to charity, totaling $334,000. Giving to international-relief groups rose 20.9% in 1999, to $2.7 billion. Natural disasters and other catastrophes fueled increased giving to many charities. In Silicon Valley, there are approximately 64 new millionaires every business day. If each of them gave one percent of that wealth to charity, there would be $3.2 million going into philanthropic endeavors each week. Percy Ross, a syndicated columnist and radio personality, amassed over $7 million and gave it all away (in small sums) to individuals who would call in and make requests to use his money. Nearly 50 million Americans over 18 have Internet access and currently either give their time and/or money to such causes as poverty housing, human rights, civil liberties, international relief, or the environment. Of these, however, most have never visited the Web site of a charity, and only 3.5 million say they have given online. A young woman started a philanthropic organization that gives underwear to homeless people. The Foundation Center reports that the number of foundations rose by 2,700 in 1999. This is the largest increase in foundations on record. The Glaser Family foundation (with assets of about $200 million) is financing a program at the University of Washington known as the Progress Project, whose goal is no less than to help redefine how society measures progress. With his savings and assets of $4.7 billion, Jeff Bezos (CEO of Amazon.com) could wipe out the external debt of Honduras. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care, became a national institution in 1972 with a $1.2 billion bequest from industrialist Robert Wood Johnson . The 300-year-old Trinity Church in Manhattan has awarded nearly $57 million in grants since its founding in 1697. Awards have ranged from annual allowances given to needy clergy and their widows and orphans to land given to the City of New York for streets and piers. The Trinity Grants Program, established in 1972, engages in global philanthropy. According to a Chronicle of Philanthropy article, in 1986 the administrators of the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor, Michigan, invited donors to its capital campaign to literally name everything from seats and lights to boilers and lavatory fixtures in the company's new building, then under construction. This year, Americans are expected to spend a record $376 billion on dining out, says the National Restaurant Association. If the average American family would spend half their dining-out budget on philanthropy, the nation's giving totals would double. |
ARTICLES: CONTRIBUTION