Charitable Giving in BC

Vancouver, BC - A new Ipsos Reid survey of the BC public reveals that British Columbians have once again opened their wallets to support the many charities in the province (84% made a donation in 2008). However, current economic conditions are dampening prospects for donor dollars in the coming year; 32% of those surveyed are "less likely" to make a donation in 2009, and 24% of donors intend to give less money than they did in 2008.

Vast Majority of British Columbians (84%) Made a Charitable Donation in 2008

British Columbians continue to show they're among the most generous of populations when it comes to supporting charitable causes. The vast majority (84%) made a donation to a charitable or non-profit organization in 2008; this is the same number found in a 2002 Ipsos Reid study.

While the overall charitable giving trend is similar across the various population groups, there are some differences to note:

• Older British Columbians (55+) are more likely to have made a donation in 2008 (88% vs. 77% among the 18-34 year old population).
• British Columbians living in higher income households ($75K+) are more likely to have made a donation in 2008 (90% vs. 74% in under $45K households).

Economic Conditions Push a Third of BC Donors (32%) To Reconsider Donating in 2009

While a majority of British Columbians (55%) say current economic conditions will not change their thoughts about making a charitable donation in 2009, a third of BC donors (32%), say they'll be "less likely" to give financially to a charitable organization in the coming year. With 11% being "more likely" to give, the charitable giving market in BC could shrink by as much as 21 percentage points in the coming year.

The potential for a reduction in charitable giving is evident across all regions and socio-demographic groups in the province.

24% of BC Donors Likely to Reduce the Amount They Give in 2009; Personal Financial Situation a Key Factor for 44%

While the majority of BC donors (52%) intend to give the same amount of money to charitable organizations in 2009 as they did in 2008, 24% say the size of their donation will drop. With 15% intending to give "more", the net drop in potential donations going to BC charities in 2009 is 9 percentage points. This downward trend is being driven largely by British Columbians paying much more attention to their pocket books than earlier in the decade. In 2009, more than 4-in-10 BC donors (44%) say they decide how much they'll give based on their financial situation; this is up a significant 11 points compared to results from a similar Ipsos Reid study conducted in 2002 (33%). Far fewer this year are likely to make a donation "without really thinking about the amount they give" (20% in 2009 vs. 31% in 2002).

The downward shift in donation amounts is consistent across all regions of the province, and among all population subgroups.

Those more likely to be looking more closely at their financial situation in 2009 to determine how much they'll give include the following:

• Live in Rest of BC (53% vs. 40% Lower Mainland)
• BC women (49% vs. 38% of men)
• 55 years of age or more (47% vs. 34% of 18-34 year olds)
• Less than $45K household income (54% vs. 34% $75K+)

These findings are taken from an Ipsos Reid study - The Charitable Giving Market in BC 2009. The survey was conducted online with 1,087 British Columbians between February 23rd and March 12th, 2009. Sample was drawn randomly from Ipsos Reid's BC Voice of the West panel. The panel is comprised of individuals who have committed to take part in market and social research studies with Ipsos Reid. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 177 3.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire BC population. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were statistically weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual BC population according to 2006 Census data.

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Daniel Savas
Senior Vice President
Ipsos Reid
778-373-5004
[email protected]

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