And while the pandemic curtailed volunteering, affluent donors who did spend time volunteering donated more than double the amount to charity on average than those who did not volunteer, the study found. Affluent households also helped to keep nonprofits afloat during the pandemic by making unrestricted contributions, and they reached out directly to locally affected individuals and businesses, the study noted.
More than a quarter (26%) of affluent individuals indicated that they had increased their giving to charitable organizations that provide food, shelter, or other necessities for the needy, and nine out of 10 affluent households gave locally to organizations to help people in need of food, shelter, or other basic necessities, or to organizations focused on health and medicine.
When asked about the pandemic’s impact on their future philanthropic behavior, most affluent donors (74%) said they do not expect it will have any impact. One in five, however, said their giving would be more issues oriented.