How Do Need, Capacity, Geography, and Politics Influence Giving?

Abstract

In this chapter we seek to shed light on the question:“What are the types of factors that influence individual giving?”In recent years there has been a sustained effort, in and out of academia, to address this question. While we have learned a number of things, large areas have yet to be explored. For example, almost all work has been done on the impact on giving of individual factors, such as education, gender, race, income, and so on. While these are clearly relevant, it is important to remember that people are also embedded in larger contexts. So, while their personal income will definitely influence their level of giving, the wealth or poverty (measured by average income) of their city might also have a significant effect on how much they give overall and to certain causes.