Study reveals the demographics of charitable giving
By Pam Fessler, NPR
Ever wonder how charitable the people are who live in your state or community? It turns out that lower-income people tend to donate a much bigger share of their discretionary incomes than wealthier people do. And rich people are more generous when they live among those who aren’t so rich.
That’s according to a new study by the Chronicle of Philanthropy, which breaks charitable giving down by ZIP code. It found that generosity varies greatly from one region of the country to another. (Explore charitable giving in your state, city and neighborhood using the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s new interactive.)
Take the 20020 ZIP code area in Southeast Washington, D.C. It includes the Fairlawn and Anacostia neighborhoods, which are among the city’s poorest. Many in the area turn to charity for help.
One of those charities is a nonprofit called Bread for the City, where people line up daily for help with housing, health care, legal aid and food. But in this neighborhood, where the need is so great, charitable giving is also relatively high. Using Internal Revenue Service data, the Chronicle of Philanthropy found that the median household contribution is almost 19 percent of discretionary income — that’s money left over after taxes and living expenses. This rate of giving is four times the national average.
Kristin Valentine, Bread for the City’s development director, says she’s not surprised. Even their clients give when they can, though it’s often a few dollars at a time.
Conservatives are more generous then liberals, who new? Anyone that pays attention and is honest about it.
This isn’t anything new but this study also demonstrated that people in conservative states (Red States) give far more, almost 4 to one, than the people in liberal states (blue states).
It’s not news but it is worth repeating – liberals are very generous when giving away other peoples money. But when it comes to giving of their own they prove to be very stingy and selfish. Both in money and charitable time
Are conservatives the truly compassionate people? I think so and the evidence continues to point in that direction.
It seems to me you get big talk and accusations from liberals but little action other than telling other people that they should pay more.
“Conservatives are more generous then(sic) liberals, who new(sic)?” What kind of gargantuan disconnect from reality does it take to come to those conclusions from that article? This kind of zombie-like teabagger thinking is where people like GOP Senate candidate Todd Akin of Missouri and his fellow talibornagain zealots come from.
Teatotal, The facts are the facts… did you read the article? FIND ONE STUDY THAT CONTRADICTS ME – DO SOME RESEARCH instead of flappin your caustic and hateful yapper.
There are no studies to contradict me, every study on the issue finds the same thing. Liberals talk big act small. Conservatives tend to not brag about it and just do it.
As for Todd Atin, turns out the Democrats in Missouri were the ones that funded his GOP primary efforts with a million and a half dollars. A Democrat plant – there is a party to be proud of.
The word ‘conservative’ is not even used in this article Biz….
Thingfish – I have the ability to research beyond a single left wing article. There are other reports on this research, look it up. The top charitable states are all blue states and the bottom states on the charitable side are all red states. FYI – the top states give 400 percent more than the red states.
I certainly wouldn’t take the Bee as a primary source on any issue. They are a propaganda rag for the left, you know that right?
Add to that my ability to analyze data and think for myself. I have degrees in science (Plant Science and Biology) and extensive education in financial analysis and planning. I was a registered principle designation in the securities industry.
When you do this, think beyond what you are told by the left wing press and government flunkies, and you analyze the details on your own, you come to the clear conclusion that conservatives are the more generous.
The research is out there – look it up.
Sorry thingfish, I meant NPR. No matter, both The Bee and NPR are left-wing propagandist media sources that would make your old friend Joseph Goebbels proud.
Hey Business is PubworksTV, Did you know Rep. Todd Akin is an elected Congressman in Missouri? He’s now running for the Senate. His intellect and mindset as a teatard snake-handler precludes him from rising even to “plant” level, regardless of party. And your “credentials” are dubious at best considering your past fraud.
BIH,
You really do nothing to promote intelligent discussions. You are just mean and accusatory. People don’t have to agree with you or you with them, but be angry someplace else.
And really, bringing in a Nazi sympathizer into the discussion just lowers the discussion.
Move on or contribute something worthwhile.
Kathryn Reed, LTN publisher
Dick, do you really view yourself as being different from BIH? How?
Hey John, So shoot me.
Dick,
Stop being childish. You, too, need to move on and be more thoughtful with your comments.
If you were bullies on a playground, you would be sent to the principal’s office, in a work environment your colleagues would have a legitimate hostile work environment case, and on LTN you can be banned.
Grow up or go elsewhere.
I’m done with you people.
Kathryn Reed, LTN publisher
Plant Science? Like Horticulture and Botany?
I read research papers for fun. Link it up. The topic is highly subjective and relies on definitions.
You are still saying ‘take my word for it’. That isn’t happening.
Am I the only one who doesn’t consider giving to a church a charitable donation? The book tells you to do it and there an implied reward.
Why is giving money to charities ALWAYS touted by those that give and those that receive, yet rarely do we hear about the folks whom give of themselves doing charity work? Writing a check is fairly simple, but giving time on a consistent basis is MUCH more effective, more honorable, AND more rare! One of the people I look up to on this planet was Mother Theresa (and I’m an atheist).
I ran a holiday food drive for many years at my old job. I did notice this. The poorer neighborhoods like where I live donated the most. The older home with an old car out front would fill a box or bag of canned goods for me to pick up. Go to the big fancy houses with the Hummer or Beemer in the driveway…not so much . Sure this is a generalization but thats what I saw.
Now if these different areas were predominately Liberal or Conservative ,I can’t say.
You want to do something that will make you feel really good? On your next round of errands around town, box up some canned food and drop it off at one of the local churches, the woman’s center, Christmas Cheer, the rehab place. Your’e not only helping someone out whos fallen on hard times, whether it be the laid off worker or that senior citizen that’s struggling to get by. You are helping our town and the locals that make this such a great place to live. I guarantee you will feel good that you did! I promise!
Take Care, Old Long Skiis
Thing fish, the other thing I didn’t like was that the study was based on deductible charitable contributions. So the sample is only people who itemize their deductions. This is clearly not a random sample and I think the conclusion was way to broad for a skewed sample.
I didn’t even think about that. Biz, you are so learned in Plant Science and finance. Surely you know about sample size, how did that slip past you?
How much do you have to earn so that the deductions count against your taxes? And how does that number compare to the median annual income?
The study was only done on individuals who earn more than $50,000 and who itemize deductions. Also, if you take religion out of the equation, the philanthropic landscape would look significantly different.
BIH there is not one mention in this article of political persuasion and it is based solely on economics. Your comment about red/ blue states fits the article perfectly as they tend to be lower income states. In addition they tend to be more religious and give more to their churches. Frankly I don’t consider money given to my place of worship as “charity” unless the bulk of that money is going to help those in need. If not, it is merely a ” membership and keep the lights on” fee. But I you send pat robertson a check that he uses to buy another horse, for the purposes of this study, that is a charitable donation.
Well it all gets weirder with this sample design. As an example my parents are older, own a summer home and winter home. Have a very comfortable income but do not itemize because their homes are paid for. Additionally my mom is a Democrat and my father is a Republican. One of their homes is in a blue state and one home is in a red state. Now I am not saying that is typical, but it is not atypical for upper middle class retired folks with a condo someplace warm/cool for winter/summer.
One person’s charitable contribution made out of the goodness of their heart for the good of the community is another person’s tax dodge made out of their sociopathic greed for their me, me, me personal gain. I don’t know how you’d measure that.