Surveys Show Mixed Bag for Donor Behavior Due to Covid

Two surveys released this week paint a troubling picture for charitable giving this year.

A special Covid-focused edition of LendingTree’s annual Charitable Giving Survey, which polled 1,000 adults from June 12 to June 15, found that 55 percent of Americans had donated to a charity this year. While most people — 63 percent — said they had not changed their giving behavior this year, 15 percent said they had paused donations due to income loss, and 5 percent had decreased the amount they contributed. Only 6 percent said they had increased the amount they gave.

LendingTree’s survey, which has a 3 percentage-point margin of error, found that religious groups were the top recipients , with 27 percent of donors giving to them. Food banks, animal-welfare groups, and coronavirus relief funds were the tied for the second, with 23 percent of donors giving to them. Only 7 percent said they had donated to a social-justice charity.

LendingTree’s survey also detailed how Americans are giving outside of charity. Among its findings:

• 37 percent said they were tipping more than usual
• 10 percent were tipping less
• 12 percent had sent money to a loved one who had been laid off
• 7 percent had purchased a gift card from a local business

Meanwhile, a QuickBbooks survey of 2,000 people who give to nonprofits regularly, conducted March 25, found that 47 percent “are giving less than they were a month ago,” and 34 percent had given less than they did by the same point last year.

Other recent surveys of donor behavior have been mixed, with some showing deeply worrisome trends, and others suggesting the outlook may not be as dire as many fear.