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ST. LEO, FL – A new survey of Americans by the Saint Leo University Polling Institute (http://polls.saintleo.edu) suggests some Florida households are changing how much they donate to their usual lists of worthy charities this year. More than one-third of those polled say they wanted to direct more of their giving in 2018 to victims of natural disasters. Also, political fundraising appeals for the midterm elections influenced the charitable giving allocations of about one in five donors.
The survey was conducted in Florida from October 16 through October 22, 2018, among 698 adults (registered likely voters) across the state. The margin of error for the results is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. The polling institute also asked the same questions nationally from October 11 through October 17, 2018 among 1,167 adults, and those results are also supplied here for comparison. The margin of error for U.S. results is plus or minus 3.0 percentage points.
The first question in the survey regarding charitable giving asks people to consider the sum of their donations throughout the year 2018, and how the amount compares to the prior year. Results are shown in the table below, compared side-by-side with the results collected in 2017 in response to the same question.
Overall Giving Patterns: Florida and U.S.
| Possible answers (just one choice allowed) | Giving more than in the previous year | Giving about the same as in the previous year | Giving less than in the previous year | Have not given/will not be giving | Unsure | |||||
| Florida | 2018 | 2017 | 2018 | 2017 | 2018 | 2017 | 2018 | 2017 | 2018 | 2017 |
| 21.1% | 23.4% | 46.1% | 45.2% | 13.6% | 10.6% | 12.5% | 15% | 6.7% | 5.8% | |
| U.S. | 18.1% | 22.1% | 44.2% | 46.2% | 12.9% | 12.2% | 11.4% | 12.1% | 13.4% | 7.4% |
As indicated, the most frequently cited response collected in 2018 as well as 2017 was that people planned to give about the same as the prior year.
Disasters and Giving Budgets
In 2017, the polling institute added two new questions about charitable giving in response to destruction caused by multiple natural disasters. In 2017, hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria left wind damage and flooding in wide swaths, and wildfires destroyed some communities in the West, and that is just to mention disasters in the United States and territories, not internationally. In 2018, in addition to more fires, “Hurricane Michael hit the Panhandle of Florida on October 10 as a Category 4 storm, bringing massive destruction and wiping out communities such as Mexico Beach,” noted Dr. Susan Kinsella, dean of the College of Education and Social Services. So both years, respondents were asked if they strongly agreed, somewhat agreed, somewhat disagreed, or strongly disagreed the disasters were affecting them in two particular ways.
| Test statements | 2018 Florida (and U.S.) | 2017 Florida (and U.S.) |
| I have reduced my charitable giving in 2018 due to increased giving to help victims of unexpected natural disasters. | 37.8% combined agree (35.2% U.S.)
59.2% combined disagree (56.8%-U.S.)
|
38.9% combined agree (31.5%-U.S.)
57.3% combined disagree (63.9%-U.S.)
|
| The number of natural disasters and storms lately have me feeling overwhelmed in my plans for charitable giving. | 45% combined agree (39.2%-U.S.)
51.4% combined disagree (53.3% – U.S.)
|
42.1% combined agree (41.1%-U.S.)
54.1% combined disagree (52.2%-U.S.)
|
Dr. Nancy Wood, an associate professor of human services in Saint Leo University’s College of Education and Social Services agreed that “it would be expected that some individuals re-allocated donations to disaster relief this year after the hurricane season.” Donors might reasonably prioritize shelter and health care for disaster victims over causes they may support at other times that now seem less critical. Those categories might range from museums to arts or recreation. “Donors care about where their monies are being allocated and what the impact from the donation will be,” Wood said, noting that again this year, as in prior years, more than 80 percent of respondents reported that they research charities before donating.
Politics and Midterm Elections
The polling institute wanted to know if the active political campaign season and related fundraising was having any effect on Americans’ 2018 household-giving habits. So this test statement was incorporated into the survey: “I have reduced my usual charitable giving in 2018 due to increasing my giving to political candidates in this year’s mid-term election.” In Florida, with the governor’s post, a U.S. Senate seat and many other races and choices on the ballot, a combined 23.1 percent registered some level of agreement; 9.8 percent strongly agreed and 13.3 percent somewhat agreed. “With today’s political climate, it is not surprising some people are reallocating their charitable giving to political candidates,” Wood said.
It is not a universal impulse, though. The survey found 22.2 percent disagreed somewhat that they were directing some money to political campaigns or races. More than half, 52.3 percent, strongly disagreed. The national responses figures were statistically very close to the Florida figures for this question.
Tax Law Changes Still Could Have an Impact
After full-year donations are tallied across the country’s nonprofit organizations, and after professionals are consulted about their experiences in working with donors, it will become clearer whether recent changes to federal tax law will dampen charitable giving by individuals and couples. “This is making charitable organizations very anxious in a time when budgets are tight,” warned Dean Kinsella of the College of Education and Social Services.
Specifically, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 raised the standard deduction levels on personal income taxes and simultaneously made it harder to itemize deductions. The standard deduction—whatever the level in a given year for different categories of taxpayers—is a catch-all amount that reduces taxable income. American taxpayers can take the standard deduction, or, if they have enough allowable expenditures (such as property taxes) to exceed the benefit the standard deduction provides them, they can itemize their deductions. Raising the standard deduction reduces the likelihood that people will compile the extra paperwork needed to itemize, and may reduce the amount they expend on deductions that are optional for them, such as donations to charities approved under the tax code. Granted, getting a tax benefit may not be the only motivation for people to give, and some people may carry on with their prior giving habits. But, Kinsella explained, professionals in the nonprofit sector are worried that the change in rules will substantially reduce the number of households that do. “Although higher-income people may continue to make charitable contributions, it is likely that fewer middle-class people will do so,” Kinsella explained.
About the Poll
METHODOLOGY: The poll sampled opinions of 698 registered likely voters in Florida. The survey was conducted October 16 through October 22, 2018, using an online survey instrument. The Florida poll has a +/- 3.5 percent margin of error at a 95 percent confidence level (on a composite basis).
The comparable national survey was conducted October 11 through October 17, 2018 among a base of 1,167 respondents, using an online instrument. The survey has a +/- 3.0 percent margin of error at a 95 percent confidence level on a composite basis.
The Saint Leo University Polling Institute conducts its surveys using cutting-edge online methodology, which is rapidly transforming the field of survey research. The sample is drawn from large online panels, which allow for random selections that reflect accurate cross sections of all demographic groups. Online methodology has the additional advantage of allowing participants to respond to the survey at a time, place, and speed that is convenient to them, which may result in more thoughtful answers. The Saint Leo University Polling Institute develops the questionnaires, administers the surveys, and conducts analysis of the results. Panel participants typically receive a token incentive—usually $1 deposited into an iTunes or Amazon account—for their participation.
The Saint Leo University Polling Institute survey results about national and Florida politics, public policy issues, Pope Francis’ popularity, and other topics, can also be found here: http://polls.saintleo.edu. You can also follow the institute on Twitter @saintleopolls.
Media contacts: Jo-Ann Johnston, Saint Leo University, University Communications jo-ann.johnston@saintleo.edu or (352) 588-8237 or (352) 467-0843 (cell/text).
Mary McCoy, Saint Leo University, University Communications mary.mccoy02@saintleo.edu or (352) 588-7118 or (813) 610-8416 (cell/text).
More About Saint Leo University
Saint Leo University (www.saintleo.edu) is a modern Catholic teaching university that is firmly grounded in the liberal arts tradition and the timeless Benedictine wisdom that seeks balanced growth of mind, body, and spirit. The Saint Leo University of today is a private, nonprofit institution that creates hospitable learning communities wherever students want to be or need to be, whether that is a campus classroom, a web-based environment, an employer’s worksite, a military base, or an office park. Saint Leo welcomes people of all faiths and of no religious affiliation, and encourages learners of all generations. The university is committed to providing educational opportunities to the nation’s armed forces, veterans, and their families. Saint Leo is regionally accredited to award degrees ranging from the associate to the doctorate, and the faculty and staff guide all students to develop their capacities for critical thinking, moral reflection, and lifelong learning and leadership.
The university remains the faithful steward of the beautiful lakeside University Campus in the Tampa Bay region of Florida, where its founding monks created the first Catholic college in the state in 1889. Serving nearly 12,000 students, Saint Leo has expanded to downtown Tampa, to other sites in Florida and beyond, and maintains a physical presence in seven states. The university provides highly respected online learning programs to students nationally and internationally. More than 93,000 alumni reside in all 50 states, in Washington, DC, in three U.S. territories, and in 76 countries.