American Donors Show Strong Commitment to Philanthropy Amid Economic Challenges
Recent online polling by The Harris Poll, involving over 2,000 U.S. adults and commissioned by Vanguard Charitable, highlights a strong sense of commitment among American donors to philanthropy, even during challenging economic periods.
Donor Giving Trends and Civic Duty
The survey reveals that 70% of Americans have contributed to charitable causes in the past six months. Additionally, 87% of these donors intend to maintain or increase their giving levels in the upcoming half-year, despite ongoing financial unpredictability. Notably, over one-third (36%) of donors planning to sustain or boost their donations cite a civic duty to support important causes during market volatility.
Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) and Increased Giving
This ethos of personal responsibility is especially prominent among donor-advised fund (DAF) holders. The data shows that 94% of DAF owners made donations in the last six months, compared to 68% of donors without DAFs. On average, DAF donors granted $1,586—more than double the $615 granted by non-DAF donors—and 65% of DAF holders intend to inc...