According to the 2017 Global Trends in Giving Report, a donor’s ideology has more impact upon which causes and types of nonprofits they support than gender or age. Donors with a conservative ideology are more traditional in their giving while donors with a liberal ideology are more diverse in the types of causes they support. Giving to children and youth, however, is a cause that unites all donors regardless of ideology.
Based upon the survey results of 2,485 self-identified liberal donors, 985 moderate donors, and 542 conservative donors – when asked the question: “To which cause do you donate money to the most often? Please select one or two causes:” – the 4,012 donors responded as listed below.
Donors with a liberal ideology support:
1. Human and civil rights: 11.7%
2. Children and youth: 10.7%
3. Human services: 9.6%
4. Animals: 9.2%
5. Environment: 8.8%
6. Women and girls: 8.5%
7. Health and safety: 8%
8. Education: 7.4%
9. Arts and culture: 6.8%
10. International development: 6.2%
11. Religious services and faith: 5.3%
12. Community development: 5.2%
13. Research and public policy: 1.5%
14. Peace and non-violence: 1.1%
Donors with a moderate ideology support:
1. Children and youth: 17.8%
2. Religious services and faith: 13.6%
3. Health and safety: 11.1%
4. Animals: 10.4%
5. Human services: 9.1%
6. Education: 8.8%
7. Environment: 5.9%
8. Community development: 5.1%
9. Women and girls: 4.5%
10. International development: 4.2%
11. Arts and culture: 4.1%
12. Human and civil rights: 3.2%
13. Research and public policy: 1.4%
14. Peace and non-violence: .8%
Donors with a conservative ideology support:
1. Religious services and faith: 29%
2. Children and youth: 15.2%
3. Human services: 11.2%
4. Health and safety: 7.9%
5. Education: 7.8%
6. Animals: 7.5%
7. International development: 4.9%
8. Community development: 4.8%
9. Women and girls: 3.6%
10. Arts and culture: 2.9%
11. Human and civil rights: 2.1%
12. Research and public policy: 1.8%
13. Environment: 1.3%
14. Peace and non-violence: 0%
