Religion Gets the Money

In national surveys of nonprofit donors, religion ranks behind education and health for the types of organizations that need the most financial help. For instance, in 1992 The Nonprofit Times reported the results of a survey asking donors what organizations they thought needed the most help financially as education - 33.6 percent, health - 27.3 percent, and religion - 9.4 percent. Then, in 2010, survey results were reported as education - 35 percent, health- 24 percent, community - 12 percent, and religion - 9 percent.

However, when you look at the numbers, more than half of the funds donated to charities by Americans go to religion. From 1992 to 2009, more than one-third of charitable donations made by individuals were given to religious organizations. In 2009 alone that number was $100.95 billion. Education was named top priority by the same donors and received $40 billion in 2009.

"I think a lot of this is people saying one thing and doing another," says Larry May, senior vice president for strategy of infogroup/nonprofit. "How many people actually give to their colleges? It's a very small number." May is correct, statistics show that only 10 percent of alumni give to their colleges. However, Melissa Brown, a former editor at Giving USA, which conducts many of these studies, believes the lack of correspondence in numbers and responses could be the way the questions are posed.

She says, "Asking about which organizations are in need of financial support, is not the same as asking, 'which one do you most want to support' or even 'which one do you think does the most important work in the world.' It is really asking, 'which one is in such bad financial shape that you notice?' I could argue that people perceive that congregations are not in need of financial support because something like 45 percent of the population gives to a religious charity."

Schools get less charitable support and more media coverage regarding failing systems and poor conditions. Most of these issues are attributed to diminishing budgets. Brown adds that when this survey was conducted and these questions were asked, it was during a recession and during a presidential election that had a strong focus on education. So, at the time of the survey, people's minds were on education.

People's perception of health care and education are based on personal experience and media coverage. However, religion is a much more personal cause, perception of religious beliefs are not necessarily altered as easily. Although minds may change about what causes need help, it appears donors' hearts are mostly with their religions.

More From This Contributor:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7808558/new_panel_holds_religious_groups_accountable.html?cat=3

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5475946/decline_in_charitable_giving_is_less.html?cat=3

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/6145214/2011_revocations_changing_nonprofit.html?cat=3