When Professor Ida Berger of Ryerson University’s Centre for Voluntary Sector Studies published a study in Voluntas last summer, the nonprofit sector received some additional discourse for their boardroom tables. The report, The Influence of Religion on Philanthropy in Canada, compared and contrasted the philanthropic behaviours of Canadians across religious groups. Using data from the Statistics Canada 2000 National Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating, the study focused not only on philanthropic activities, but also examined the motivations for and against such behaviour.

Berger found a huge divergence in giving between the affiliated and unaffiliated, with the former – particularly conservative Protestants – demonstrating a higher than average propensity for giving. “Within the overall framework of this research, the evidence clearly shows that religious affiliation is an important determinant of Canadian philanthropy,” Berger concluded, adding, “people who identify strongly with their faith have more access to activities through their church, synagogue or temple to engage in volunteer and fundraising activities than individuals who aren’t religious.”

Faith can move money

The explanations for this discrepancy may vary but the verdict doesn’t seem surprising to many. Faith most certainly inspires giving, says George Stanois of the Goldie Company. As managing director of the Toronto-based fundraising consultancy, Stanois has worked with a number of faith-based nonprofits over the course of his 20-plus-year career, often witnessing the influence of the divine-inspired. “The top three donations that people make are to churches and synagogues, hospitals and their alma mater, ” he offers. With the Statistics Canada NSGVP data as her guide, Lisa Hartford of Imagine Canada agrees. “It is true that most of the dollars from all donors go to religious organizations and, on the other side of the coin, those who attend church every week tend to give more.”

Most telling, explains Stanois, is the fact that, even during tough financial times, churches still have the highest donors. “The largest campaign back in the recession of the early eighties was a faith-based one by the United Church of Canada called the Ventures and Missions National Campaign,” he says. Shortly thereafter, the Anglican Church organized a very successful campaign as well.

But what about studies that show church attendance is down? How is it that the amount generated by affiliated donors still outweighs that of the unaffiliated? “People of high faith, demonstrated by weekly attendance, make up about 20% of the population and they give just slightly more than 80% of the donations,” explains John Pellowe, CEO of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities. And, he adds, not only do people of faith fund most of the faith-based charities, but weekly attendees also give more to secular charities than those not of religious faith. Berger’s study reveals similar statistics, demonstrating that not all giving behaviour is directed to religions organizations. For example, she states that almost three-quarters of the philanthropic activity of the Jewish community is directed toward non-religious causes.

To give or not to give?

So, what accounts for the faithful’s high propensity to give? Well, for one thing, religious organizations accompany churchgoers from the very beginning of life until the very end. From baptism, to communion and from marriage to death, the church plays an all-encompassing role in every milestone of the faithful’s life.

Berger identifies other “giving factors” in explaining why the philanthropic behaviour of the largest donors – the conservative Protestants – differs widely from that of the unaffiliated. “High levels of giving and volunteering are heavily motivated by their feelings of altruism and perceived social obligations,” she says.

And, of course there is the religious obligation of tithing to which many affiliated subscribe. Doug Flanders of the United Church of Canada Foundation explains this giving as stemming from a basic tenet of Christian belief. “What you have is not yours; it’s given to you in trust, loaned by god.” What you receive, it follows, should be given back with gratitude. Furthermore, the level of commitment and involvement in one’s faith affects one’s willingness to give. “For people who are practicing Christians, it becomes more than a faith group, it becomes a community of friends, of social events,” says Flanders, past chair of the board of the Metropolitan United Church of Canada.

Pellowe adds that the strong desire to give can also be understood by way of the concept of reconciled relationships and justice. “Christians believe every human being has been made in the ‘image of God’ and therefore has intrinsic worth and dignity. We therefore give to all kinds of charities – Christian and secular – that work in these areas.”

Stewards of trust and confidence

According to Henry Hildebrand, development builder at Mennonite Central Committee, an obligation to share and a faith-inspired joy of giving work as complimentary influencers for philanthropic behaviour. “There’s also a confidence as a faith-based organization that we will be good stewards of those donations in terms of how the funds are allocated and put into use,” he says.

That high level of integrity and transparency has ensured MCC’s faith-based activities serve as inspiration for fundraising dollars. With a reputation of accomplishing significant work around the world, MCC has proven itself a worthy and efficient fundraiser. As such, the organization received record donations in the aftermath of the Asian tsunami and other major disasters. In addition, Hildebrand credits the nonprofit’s status as a “pull organization” as another reason for its fundraising and mission success. “The work we do and the way in which we go about doing that work pulls people into wanting to be a part of what we’re doing as opposed to being in their face in any particular way.”

Further, the programs that MMC undertakes – domestically and internationally – are delivered to people without any segregation of race, religion or political affiliation. It is, therefore, not surprising that the organization’s donor base extends far beyond the affiliated. “A lot of donors may not necessarily have the same faith, but they know of our work through our website and our accountability on a regular basis,” Hildebrand says.

Faithful teachings

With such successful rates of fundraising, one wonders whether secular nonprofits can learn something from faith-based organizations to help improve their own efforts. “I think it’s crucial to be very transparent about where your costs are and how you apply your funds,” says Hildebrand, adding that “more and more people are realizing that they work hard for their funds and so they want their donation to make a difference.”

Secular nonprofits can also look to religious organizations to learn how to develop the softer side of the culture and philosophy of philanthropy. “What churches do effectively is teach the concept of stewardship, the giving of time, talent and resources,” says Flanders. “Every organization can learn to develop this culture so that donors realize the importance and benefits of giving, something churches do really well.”

Likewise, Flanders adds, churches can learn from secular organizations as well. Over the years, churches never had to work hard to bring in money. As a result, they didn’t learn any serious fundraising methods and tended to take their donors for granted, he explains. But it’s a very different scenario today. With fewer people attending church and the number of charities increasing, the competition is fierce. “Churches today could benefit from learning the techniques and processes of secular organizations,” says Flanders. For example, adopting formal systems, forms and processes could raise attendance levels and bring in even larger donations. As for what all nonprofits can learn from the philanthropic behaviour of donors, Berger has some advice. When it comes to establishing a fundraising campaign or recruiting volunteers, the professor does not recommend a cookie-cutter approach, but a targeted one instead. Organizations should develop communication, training and management methods targeted at the most promising segments. Bottom line: nonprofits would be remiss if they didn’t take seriously the role of religious affiliation in their search for funding.

Elisa Birnbaum is a freelance print and broadcast journalist living in Toronto.