Ethics Newsline®

From the Wall Street Journal and Harris Interactive®:

“According to a new Wall Street Journal Online/Harris Interactive Personal Finance Poll, an overwhelming majority (83%) of U.S. adults say they have contributed to a charity in the past 12 months, with about one-third of adults saying they contributed to religious, hunger and food-related, or health and disease-related charities each in the past year. The average total giving among those making contributions in the past 12 months fell to $1,220 from $1,352 in 2005….

“Disaster relief charities have seen a marked decrease in contribution compared to a year ago (49% in 2005 vs. 27% in 2006), while homeless, health-based, hunger and animal charities have witnessed an increase in contributions over the past year. According to Natalie Jobity, Vice President of Financial Services Research for Harris Interactive, ‘The drop in disaster relief giving in 2006 is not surprising. In 2005, this was the number one crisis facing the nation and the media exposure given to Hurricane Katrina and subsequent relief efforts had a major impact on the public’s support to related charities….’

“When asked about their top three motivating factors, three in four (76%) adults say they contribute to charities because they think it’s the right thing to do…. Slightly over half (52%) of adults say they are motivated to make contributions because they believe it will make an impact, while few view employer encouragement (6%), media attention (2%) and pressure at fundraisers (2%) as being strong motivators for contributing….

“Retirees are much more likely to have contributed to charities on the whole (90%). Compared to the other employment groups, more retirees have contributed to religious charities (47%) and disaster relief (34%) in past 12 months. Students are least likely to make charitable donations overall (30% have made no contributions in the past 12 months), but a notable 14 percent have contributed to the arts over the past year. There has been a slight decrease in charitable contributions in the 18 to 34 age group over the past year (74% in 2005 vs. 70% in 2006), but their contributions to hunger and health-based charities have dramatically increased (hunger 17% in 2005 to 27% in 2006; health-based 17% in 2005 to 26% in 2006).

“About one-quarter (27%) of adults say they have made a charitable donation in someone else’s name, while 14 percent say someone has made a charitable donation on their behalf and seven percent say their employer has made a charitable donation in their behalf. Almost half (44%) say they have made or plan to make a charitable contribution specifically for the holidays this year, while just nine percent say they will do so in someone else’s name….”