People Donate To Charity After 'Life Changing Moments,' Study

By Samantha Chan | Featured Research
March 1, 2012

A new Australian study has found that people give and set up charitable trusts in response to a single tipping point or catalyst in their lives, such as a windfall or life crisis.

AsianScientist (Mar. 1, 2012) ? The Australian Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies at the Queensland University of Technology has released a study examining why people give and set up charitable trusts.

Lead researcher Dr. Wendy Scaife said ?life changing moments? were a key factor among the 40 people interviewed who had each set up philanthropic structures. A ?single tipping point or catalyst is often behind the move to structure giving,? the authors report.

Among the interviewed, reasons for setting up foundations were linked to a feeling of fulfillment with a life well lived, and with using what they have to achieve something beyond themselves, said Scaife.

?We found decisions to set up foundations often came from people taking stock of what life and money was about, closing chapters in their lives such as moving on from business careers, or windfall events such as gaining an inheritance,? she said.

?We found too that seasoned business folk or the middle-aged or older were asking themselves, ?Now what? We?ve raised our children ? they?re independent ? we?ve got a capacity to give ? should we???

?People also want their life experience to be of use to others so they channel not just money but energy and contacts into something that?s important to both the community and to themselves, be that medical research, the arts, Indigenous needs, education ? their personal passion,? Scaife said.

Scaife said there were a variety of structures to enable people to give and the one they chose depended upon how much money they were giving, the time they had available, and how involved they wanted to be in making grants.

She said the research showed those who set up foundations were often more engaged with their giving and gave larger, more consistent and considered donations than they previously would have done.

?Studies have identified that Australians who plan their giving donate four times as much as spontaneous givers,? she said.

There are 5,000 charitable foundations operating in Australia, said The Perpetual Foundation?s general manager, Andrew Thomas.

Thomas said would-be philanthropists often didn?t know how to make the leap from ad hoc donations to sustainable giving and advised people to be clear about the outcomes they were seeking and to get advice on creating a structure that would help them achieve their goals.

He also said the study provided crucial insights for non-profits seeking support from private donors.

?The insights in this study, around why people give and the outcomes they are looking for, will help organisations that are seeking to tap into new sources of philanthropic funding,? Thomas said.

The report can be found at: Foundations for Giving: why and how Australians structure their philantropy.

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Source: Queensland University of Technology.
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.

Source: http://www.asianscientist.com/in-the-lab/foundations-for-giving-australian-center-for-philanthropy-and-nonprofit-studies-2012/

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