MIND THE GAP: THE GROWING GENERATIONAL DIVIDE IN CHARITABLE GIVING

While charitable donations from older people have doubled since the 1980s, the proportion of donations made by the under-30s has more than halved.

The study 'Mind the Gap - the growing generational divide in charitable giving' was undertaken in 2012 for CAF by Professor Sarah Smith, of the University of Bristol. It warns that charities face a ‘donation deficit’ in the years to come, if action is not taken to ensure that younger generations match the generosity of the inter-war generation.

  • 52 per cent of all charitable donations come from the over-60s.
  • The past 30 years has seen an increase in this trend.
  • We are seeing a rising trend for older people (over-60s) to be typically more generous than younger generations (under-30s).
  • This ‘generation gap’ in giving has widened significantly since the 1980s.

The report includes predictions, analysis and the challenges faced to overcome this.

Download the full report

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