Forty-five percent of experienced donors in a new survey said they expected to increase their charitable giving this year, while only 7% expected to give less than last year, according to Exponent Philanthropy, an association of some 2,000 funders.
Of the 480 members who participated in the organization's early September Pulse Check survey, 19% cited the current political and regulatory environment as influencing their 2017 giving.
The findings were consistent with a Pulse Check conducted in late April, in which 22% of the same population said they "expect to make changes to their 2017 giving as a direct result of recent changes in Washington."
In addition, 82% of respondents in the earlier survey agreed or strongly agreed with this statement: "In light of recent changes in Washington, I expect philanthropy to play a more important role in our society moving forward."
Exponent Philosophy said the phrase "changes in Washington" referred to an aggressive congressional agenda, the potential for sweeping policy changes and the unconventional style of the Trump administration.
Respondents in the new survey cited these other factors as contributing to their 2017 giving decisions:
- Community needs – 43%
- Market performance – 31%
- Desire to maximize impact – 28%
"We are not surprised to see that charitable giving will increase in 2017 given the performance of financial markets and a preponderance of need both domestically and abroad," Exponent Philosophy's chief executive Henry Berman said in a statement.
