Study shows pandemic’s impact on charitable giving

A new study from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IU Indianapolis shows a contrast between the number of people participating in charitable giving during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and the amount of money donated.

The report, titled “The Giving Environment: Giving During Times of Uncertainty,” analyzes data from the school’s Philanthropy Panel Study, which follows more than 9,000 households from 2000 to 2020.

The study found that the number of Americans who gave to charity fell from 50.9% in 2018 to 46.9% in 2020, following the onset of the pandemic. Researchers noted that secular charitable giving declined at a sharper rate from pre-pandemic levels than donations to religious congregations.

However, the study found an 11.6% increase in the average amount given by those who did donate, going from $2,782 in pre-pandemic years to $3,116 in 2020.

That growth was primarily driven by a 44% increase in the amount that households gave to secular causes, while the amount given to religious congregations remained consistent with pre-pandemic levels.

“This new study documents the resilience of Americans’ generosity even amidst some of the most challenging times our country has faced in recent years,” Una Osili, associate dean for research and international programs at the school, said in a news release. “Everyday Americans increased the amount of their charitable giving in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, even as aspects of the crisis exacerbated the ‘declining donors’ trend in the share of U.S. households who give that we’ve seen over two decades.”

The study noted that declines in giving rates were concentrated among people in communities that experienced more severe health and economic consequences of the pandemic.

The report is based on research funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. You can view the full study by clicking here.