Unless you live in a cave, you will have noticed it is election season in the U.S. Whatever your political – or apolitical – persuasion, you probably are agog at the amount of money raised by the political candidates and how quickly it is spent. Poof.
When you see media accounts of the money being raised, you’re probably thinking the same thing I am: “Boy I wish that money was going to charitable causes versus attack ads.” Well, I have reassuring news for you. If you think donors are cannibalizing their charitable contributions to send to political candidates, a new study says we are wrong.
A recent study commissioned by Blackbaud demonstrated that donors who give to political candidates during an election season, alsoincreased their contributions to charitable causes – almost 1% more. Donors who did not give to political causes reduced their giving in 2012.
Clients often lament that donors reduce contributions “because that donor has so many charities to support,” or “kids/grandkids in college” or name another reason or excuse.
But the bottom line is generous people are consistently generous. So it’s time we stopped thinking about donations like fighting for a piece of cherry pie. It is not a matter of you getting “your slice of the pie.” It’s about making a bigger pie.