(12/22/10) -

Charitable Giving Declines as Canadians Face Financial Woes

Nearly one-third of Canadians have not donated to a charity at all this year.

Most Canadians gave the same or less to charitable causes in 2010 than they did in 2009, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample of 1,000 Canadian adults, 71 per cent of respondents reported making a donation to a non-profit organization, whether in the form of cash, time or goods. In the United States, 65 per cent of Americans donated in 2010.

About three-in-five Canadians (57%) donated the same amount of money to charity as last year while one third (34%) reduced their contribution. Only eight per cent increased their gifts in 2010.

Canadians over the age of 55 were the most generous with their money in 2010—67 per cent of them report making a cash donation this year. Less than half (48%) of adults aged 18 to 34 chose to make a financial contribution to a non-profit in 2010.

Two thirds of respondents (66%) who voted for the Conservative Party in the last federal election donated cash while Liberal and Green supporters were likely to donate their time to a cause instead (37% and 38% respectively). One-third of NDP voters (32%) did not donate to a non-profit this year.

Regionally, three-in-five British Columbians (61%) gave cash donations and only 19 per cent elected not to donate in 2010. More than a third of Quebecers (37%) did not donate to any charities this year. Respondents in Manitoba and Saskatchewan were most generous with their time (34%).

Of those who donated to a non-profit in 2010, about three-in-ten (28%) gave through a collection at their church, synagogue, mosque or other place of worship, while one-in-four donated through direct mail campaigns (23%) or website accounts (24%). New media approaches are not well-adopted, with only four per cent donating via online ads, and a nominal percentage through social media, such as Facebook, and text messaging. Donating online is more popular in Canada at 24 per cent than in the U.S. at only 15 per cent.

Looking ahead to 2011, two-in-five Canadians (41%) plan to contribute the same amount as they did in 2010 and one-in-five (22%) plan not to give at all—29 per cent did not give this year. British Columbians plan to give more in 2011 with only 14 per cent responding that they will not be able to give. Three-in-ten respondents in Quebec (30%) do not plan to give at all next year. More than half of Canadians (51%) said they would give more to charitable organizations in 2011 if their own personal finances were in a better position.

Hunger and food charities are perceived as having the greatest need going into 2011 with two thirds of respondents (61%), while healthcare organizations and housing and shelter charities are second in terms of focus for those planning to donate in 2011 (43% each). The arts and museums are the lowest priority for Canadians looking to donate to non-profits at only five per cent.

In an Angus Reid Public Opinion poll conducted last month, four-in-five Canadians (81%) responded that their personal financial situation is the same or worse now than it was at the same time in 2009, which may offer some insight into the ongoing decline in charitable giving.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Communications & Media Relations
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From December 14 to December 15, 2010, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 1,000 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.1%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of Canada. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.