Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
Muslims across the world just completed observation of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. This month (part of the lunar calendar) requires that Muslims fast from dawn to dusk every day, refrain from doing bad, seek to do good, give charity and philanthropy, and find ways to do additional acts of worship.
It is a time Muslims are tested physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It is a time most Muslims I know (including myself) consider to be their favorite time of the year.
Muslims in the United States have their own unique ways of observing Ramadan. Research suggests that Muslims pledge or donate the vast majority of their philanthropy during the month of Ramadan. Muslim-led not-for-profits prioritize their fundraising activities for the year. During the years that I was working for Muslim-led not-for-profits, I remember traveling most of Ramadan and rarely being home to spend time with family.
However, Ramadan is an opportunity not just for Muslim-led not-for-profits but for all not-for-profits that seek to raise funds for their causes. A report by the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy shows that Muslims are highly pluralistic in their giving. Muslims give roughly half their donations to organizations that are not Muslim-led. While U.S. Muslims give $4.3 billion to charity, 85% of that remains in the United States, with domestic-poverty alleviation being the most important Muslim priority.
Not-for-profits that do work that aligns with the many and diverse priorities of U.S.-based Muslims should find ways to engage with Muslims. This is yet another example of how diversity, equity, inclusion and justice efforts can actually increase our revenue and engage new donors.
A new report by the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy focused on the motivations of giving by U.S. Muslims and is a useful report for practitioners seeking to engage with this population.
Some key highlights:
◗ Muslims believe their giving is motivated by their own feeling of compassion toward people in need.
◗ Tax incentives have an important effect on Muslim motivation of giving.
◗ Muslims are motivated to give when they see their friends donate to charities.
◗ Sense of belonging has a strong impact on Muslim giving.
◗ Faith plays an important role in Muslim giving.
◗ Cultural background plays a dominant role in Muslim giving.
◗ The importance of giving in American culture has a stronger effect on Muslim giving than on non-Muslim giving.
Like all donors, Muslims seek to partner and collaborate with organizations that align with their values and demonstrate mutual respect. Having cultural competency when engaging with Muslim donors is important. It is also important to recognize that Muslims are not a monolithic group. Muslims are highly diverse, with no one ethnic group being a majority. Similarly, Muslims have a wide range of theological, cultural and political points of view.
Making sure that we are respectful of their Muslim identity, religious beliefs and individually unique identities is critical when engaging with this highly philanthropic community.•
__________
Siddiqui is assistant professor and director of the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Send comments to ibjedit@ibj.com.
Click here for more Forefront columns.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.