Business & Personal Finance

Recently, I watched a great movie that I got on DVD from the library (of course) entitled Please Give.  It seemed quite timely for this time of the year, since part of the plot of the movie involved one of the main characters guilt at having so much, that she is constantly trying to "give back" – money, food, her time – to those who she perceives need it. 

Since this is the season of giving, it was with great interest that I recently read about trends and the future of charitable giving in Canada.  According to Statistics Canada, charitable giving is down, both in dollars and numbers of individual donations.  This table indicates that the average age of donors in Canada in 2009 was 53, with the median amount donated $250 from those donors with a median income of $51,840.

The big question facing charitable organizations is how to make up for this shortfall.  How do you get younger adults to donate?  Mobile giving – donations made through text messages or smartphone apps – are the newest wave to hit.  A new organization called The Mobile Giving Foundation Canada was established in 2009 to help charities tap into this giving market.

Do donors want anything in return?  Turns out we expect a bit more than a thank you note in the mail.  Results of research done by the Goldie Company, a Canadian fundraising firm, indicate that personalized acknowlegements had the most impact on donors opening their wallets again.

Giving has never been easier, or more appreciated than now.