Study suggests donation gap is widening

Key Concepts

• Canadian charitable giving trends
• Concentration of donations
• Lapsed donors
• Giving Tuesday campaign

Canadian Charitable Giving Trends and Donor Concentration

The report highlights a significant trend in Canadian charitable donations: a substantial concentration of giving among a smaller portion of the population. Specifically, approximately 22% of Canadians are responsible for contributing half of all charitable donations. This indicates a notable disparity in donor participation and the overall volume of contributions.

The Issue of Lapsed Donors

A key finding from the report is the increasing number of Canadians who have "lapsed" in their charitable giving. This means that a segment of the population that may have donated in the past has not done so in recent years, or perhaps has never donated at all. This trend poses a challenge for charitable organizations seeking consistent support.

Giving Tuesday Campaign: Encouraging Re-engagement

In response to these trends, the upcoming Giving Tuesday campaign is being positioned as a crucial initiative to re-engage lapsed donors. The primary objective is to encourage Canadians who have not donated recently to consider giving again to a charity or cause they care about. This effort aims to reverse the trend of declining donor participation and bolster support for the charitable sector.

Synthesis/Conclusion

The report underscores that while Canadians are generally generous, their charitable giving is highly concentrated. A significant portion of donations comes from a small percentage of the population, and there's a concerning rise in lapsed donors. The Giving Tuesday campaign is a strategic effort to address this by motivating individuals who have previously donated, or who have the capacity to give, to re-engage with charitable causes and contribute to the sector.