Page 11 - Presbyterian Connection

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WINTER 2022
Connection
STEWARDSHIP
PRESBYTERIAN
11
How
Canadians
Give
by Karen Plater, Stewardship & Planned Giving
Canadians donated $10.6 billion to charities in 2020, according to Statistics Canada.1 The money came from 5.1 million people, representing 20% of tax filers.
While fewer people gave, those who did, gave more. 48,000 (0.6% of tax filers) fewer people gave in 2020, compared to 2019. However, the overall amount giv- en in 2020 increased 2.7% over 2019 and the median donation increased by 9.7%. The increase in size of gifts prevented charities from experiencing steep declines in revenue.
Analyzing Giving Trends
The median donation of Canadian givers was $340, so people who gave more than $6.53/week were in the top 50% of donors. Those who gave $20+/week were in the top 29%, and $96+/week were in the top 1%. A person giving 5% of their $60,000 annual income gave $58/week, putting them into the top 15% of donors. In this light, it is easy to see that many who give in congregations are part of the most generous people in Canada.
The older the age group, the more likely a tax filer was to give larger donations. Those aged
are not insignificant—according to the 2018 Statistics Canada’s General Social Survey (GSS) on Giving, Volunteering and Partici- pating, they can amount to an- other $2 billion.
The only age group more likely to donate in 2020 compared to 2019 was donors aged 0–24, whose gifts rose by 19.1%. While the impact on the total amount of gifts was low because their me- dian donation was $50, this is a good sign for the future. The GSS showed that while youth (15–24) had the lowest amount of chari- table donations, this same group had the highest par ticipation rate in volunteer activities. Whether they gave or not, many young people expressed their generosity by volunteering, fundraising, at- tending protests or spreading the word about a charity or cause.
The survey also showed that younger Canadians who haven’t yet given financially, intend to give
in the future and have higher lev- els of trust in charities compared to older generations.2 Congrega- tions wanting to engage younger people should also know that they are knowledgeable givers. They expect digital engagement and look for more cost-effective ways to give (like e-transfers and gifts of securities). And while mental health is a top cause supported across all generations, younger generations prioritize climate change and racial justice. In com- parison, older generations prior- itize medical research and treat- ment, senior care, and poverty in Canada.
Encourage Giving
CanadaHelps projects that giving in 2022 could drop by as much as 12% due to the pandemic, infla- tion and other challenges. At the same time, a growing number of Canadians are expected to turn to charities for assistance. It is,
therefore, as important as ever to encourage people to explore what scripture teaches about giving. People who are already gener- ous by society’s norms can learn how to give more, and those who have never given might begin to nurture this aspect of Christian discipleship. It’s never too late to discover the joy of generosity.
In their study, CanadaHelps found that more than 80% of every generation strongly agreed with the statement, “I have a role to play in making a change in the world.” The key to connecting with all gen- erations is to help them see how their gifts are making a difference and why it matters.
FOOTNOTES
1 Statistics Canada: www150.
statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien
/220412/dq220412d-eng.htm
2 CanadaHelps 2022 Giving Report:
canadahelps.org/en/the-giving- repor t
65+ gave $9 out of every $20 donated. Their median donation of $550 was more than double the $260 given by the 35–44 age group.1
Analyzing donations made be- tween 2006 and 2019, Canada- Helps2 believes the decline in the number of donors is not simply a consequence of COVID-19 but continues a longer-term trend. Interestingly, the groups giving less weren’t the people we would think have less disposable in- come and are most vulnerable to increases in cost-of-living. Fami- lies with incomes less than $20K increased their giving by 2.8%, whereas families with incomes $150,000+ decreased their rate of giving two times greater than lower-income families.
Generation X saw the most significant decline in giving when comparing giving rates by age, even though younger Millennials faced steeper housing and cost- of-living expenses compared to previous generations.
These statistics don’t include people who give but don’t file tax returns, don’t report their gifts, or don’t have receipts because their gifts were too small for a receipt, were given through crowdfunding platforms not linked to registered charities or were given at check- out counters. These donations
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Generation Z (born between 1997 to 2012) Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) Generation X (those born between 1965 to 1980) Baby Boomers (those born between 1946 to 1964)