Among married couples, more and more women are making the decisions regarding charitable giving in their families. That’s according to a report about a new study sponsored by Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund. The online survey asked 1,000 adults a series of questions. Each participant had given $1,000 or more to charity in 2007. The survey found that more women than men were the decision-makers in determining how much to give and who to give it to.
The survey also found that almost half of the women involved felt strongly about involving their children in charitable giving. In comparison, 39% of men felt the same way. And what causes are the women most likely to support? The survey found that high income women were more likely than others to donate to health and science causes. They’re also more likely to make larger, additional gifts in response to increased needs during the economic downturn.
According to the study, there are four types of givers, based on their giving patterns and feelings towards charitable causes.
The “mainstream contributor”: Fifty-two percent of those involved in this study fell into this category. This group is less likely to increase giving in tough times. When cutting back on giving, this group will give less to the same number of charities. Donors in this category donated an average of $6,842 in 2008.
The “empathetic givers”: About one-third of participants fell into this group. They are more likely to give in difficult times and usually support causes that have touched them personally. Members of this group gave an average of $7,287 in 2008.
The “reactive contributors”: Roughly 15% of people were categorized as reactive contributors. Compared to other groups, this group gives a smaller percentage of their household income and are likely to cut back their giving during economic difficulty. Total average giving in this group was $3,687 in 2008.
The “pioneering givers”: This group made up the smallest percentage at just 4%. They give the highest percentage of their income to charity and are more likely to give to lesser-known causes or organizations. People in this group typically gave $7,347 to charity in 2008.