Browsing by Author "Mesch, Debra"
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Item All in for Women & Girls: How women’s fund and foundation donors are leading through philanthropy(2019-07-23) Dale, Elizabeth J.; Watkins, Betsy; Mesch, Debra; Osili, Una; Bergdoll, Jonathan; Pactor, Andrea; Ackerman, Jacqueline; Skidmore, TessaTo date, studies of women’s funds and foundations have been qualitative in nature, and have studied the organizations more than their donors. This study examines, in a comprehensive and quantitative manner, the impact of women’s fund and foundation donors on women’s and girls’ causes. Previous research has shed light on women’s funds and foundations, on giving to women and girls, and on the impact of high-net-worth donors. This report addresses the intersection of these three factors to ask: What unique role do high-net-worth donors to women’s funds and foundations play in catalyzing support for women’s and girls’ causes?Item Can too much similarity to self backfire? The effects of different levels of similarity on charitable donations(2018-02-22) Tian, Yuan; Konrath, Sara; Tempel, Gene; Ottoni-Wilhelm, Mark; Mesch, DebraHow is charitable giving influenced by other donors’ charitable giving? Do people give more in the presence of other donors who are similar to themselves? Most research suggests that individuals are positively influenced by others who are similar across a variety of behaviors. In the charitable giving contexts, people are more likely to donate (or donate more) to the same cause if others who are similar donate. Yet, prior research has paid little attention to potential non-linear effects of similarity on charitable giving. Is there a certain amount of similarity that is too much? My dissertation investigates this research question through two different methodological approaches, a systematic literature review and an experimental study. The findings suggest the curvilinear effects of similarity on charitable giving (i.e. self-other oversimilarity hypothesis); that is, individuals are more likely to donate (and donate more) in the presence of other generous donors who are moderately similar to themselves. Yet, individuals are less likely to donate (and donate) less in the presence of other generous donors who are in high similarity to themselves. In other words, too much similarity between donors may actually backfire in charitable giving contexts when others give generously. This dissertation consists of a brief overview of similarity (Chapter 1), a systematic literature review (Chapter 2), an experimental study (Chapter 3) and a research proposal (Chapter 4). Chapter 1 in this dissertation identifies the importance of similarity in social relationships. Chapter 2 investigates the effects of similarity on charitable giving and identifies the literature gap. Chapter 3 attempts to fill the gap via developing and testing self-other oversimilarity hypothesis. It further offers practical implications for nonprofit fundraising practices on how to apply similarity between donors to motivate more funding. In order to provide additional empirical evidence that may contribute to theory and practice, and to address certain limitations of the current experimental study, Chapter 4 proposes a new research project to further test self-other oversimilarity hypothesis in the presence of a stingy donor.Item Charitable Giving Around the 2016 Election: Does Gender Matter?(2018-10-09) Osili, Una; Mesch, Debra; Ackerman, Jacqueline; Pactor, Andrea; Bergdoll, JonathanThis study aims to provide insights on donations during the unique time period around the 2016 U.S. presidential election, using gift data from an online donation platform. Did giving to charitable organizations increase after the election? What causes benefited from post-election philanthropy? This study also seeks to understand whether there were gender differences in giving around the 2016 U.S. presidential election.Item COVID-19, Generosity, and Gender: How Giving Changed During the Early Months of a Global Pandemic(2020-09-01) Mesch, Debra; Osili, Una; Skidmore, Tessa; Bergdoll, Jon; Ackerman, Jacqueline; Sager, JeannieThe spring of 2020 was marked by disruptions to society on a level many Americans had never experienced. The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) had a devastating human toll, infecting more than 1.7 million individuals and resulting in more than 100,000 deaths in the U.S. through May 2020. Beyond examining whether and how much households contributed, the report explores the types of philanthropy in which they participated and how their charitable giving changed. The study also pinpoints the effect of specific elements of the crisis on their giving. Finally, to provide a more nuanced picture of philanthropic responses to the pandemic, the report highlights differences across household types, with a particular focus on gender and marital status.Item Determinants of Compensation: A Study of Pay, Performance, and Gender Differences for Fundraising Professionals(4/8/2008) Mesch, Debra; Rooney, PatrickThe purpose of our study is to address the following research questions: (1) What are the significant determinants of compensation for individuals who are employed as fundraising professionals in nonprofits? More specifically, does performance have a significant effect on compensation for these professionals? (2) What are the key determinants of bonus and salary for these individuals? (3) Is there a gender-pay gap for individuals who are in the role of fundraisers for nonprofits?Item Do Women Give More? Findings from Three Unique Data Sets on Charitable Giving(2015-09) Mesch, Debra; Osili, Una; Ackerman, Jacqueline; Dale, ElizabethThis study seeks to explore gender differences in the incidence and amount of charitable giving. We analyze data from three unique data sets: the Philanthropy Panel Study, the Bank of America/U.S. Trust Studies of High Net Worth Philanthropy, and the Million Dollar List to investigate the intra-household factors of income and education on charitable giving overall, and to religious and secular causes. We confirm prior studies finding that single women have a higher likelihood of giving and give a higher average dollar amount than single men, but find no gender differences among high net worth single men and women. Being married increases the likelihood and amount of charitable giving for both men and women. Within married couples, differences in the husbands’ or wives; earned and unearned income influences the likelihood and amount of giving along with where charitable giving is directed. This study uses new waves of data to examine previous, sometimes conflicting findings about gender differences in philanthropy in order to provide a more nuanced view of how women and men give.Item Does Jewish Philanthropy Differ by Sex and Type of Giving?(2010) Mesch, Debra; Ottoni-Wilhelm, Mark; Moore, ZachLittle has been written on the role of gender in Jewish philanthropy, and there is even less empirical research on gender differences between Jewish men and women, or between Jews and non-Jews by gender. This study examines Jewish philanthropy by type of giving and gender. Specifically, we examine the differing amounts given to charity (both religious and secular) across eight groups, controlling for other factors that may affect philanthropic giving. These included four groups of married couples: those consisting of two Jewish spouses, of a Jewish man and a non-Jewish woman, of a non-Jewish man and a Jewish woman, and of two non-Jewish spouses; and four groups of singles: Jewish men, Jewish women, non-Jewish men and non-Jewish women. Using three waves of data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID), we used regression methods to examine the differences among the groups. Results indicated that the probability of giving and the amount given among Jewish women married to non-Jewish men are significantly less than among all other groups.Item The Effects of Race, Gender, and Marital Status on Giving and Volunteering in Indiana(2006-12) Mesch, Debra; Rooney, Patrick; Steinberg, Kathryn; Denton, BrianThe purpose of this study is to examine the effects of race, gender, and marital status on giving and volunteering behavior. A second purpose is to examine these effects across different survey methodologies. Using data from Indiana households, a multimethod, multigroup research design was used to compare giving and volunteering across eight different survey methodologies. Results indicate important differences in philanthropic behaviors by gender, race, marital status, and survey methodology—even when controlling for differences in income, age, and educational attainment. These results highlight the importance of looking specifically at human and social capital variables, and survey methodology, when making assumptions about and interpreting the measurement of philanthropic behavior.Item The Effects of Race, Gender, and Survey Methodologies on Giving in the US(2003-05-16) Rooney, Patrick; Mesch, Debra; Chin, William; Steinberg, KathrynThis study examines the effects of race and gender on philanthropy and interaction effects between race or gender and survey methodologies. Results indicate differences in philanthropic behaviors by gender but not by race. We also find significant interaction effects between survey methodologies and race and gender, which may have important implications for social science research in which race and/or gender explain or predict behaviors.Item Eight Myths of Philanthropy(Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR), 2019) Benjamin, Lehn; Pasic, Amir; Freeman, Tyrone; Herzog, Patricia Snell; King, David; Konrath, Sara; Mesch, Debra; Osili, Una; Ottoni-Wilhelm, Mark; Practor, Andrea; Rooney, Patrick; Shaker, Genevieve; Wiepking, Pamala; Rolland Price, Abby; Smith Milway, KatieIn this practitioner-engaged article, the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy describe eight common myths of philanthropy. Myth busting these misconceptions, the article provides an overview of who gives, how, and with what impact. In so doing, the article contributes to a better understanding of the breadth and diversity of giving.