Church Giving: Do Women Really Give More Than Men?
For the past several weeks we’ve been sharing findings from a study we recently conducted entitled “The Mobile Giving Revolution in Church Giving.”
Each week we’ve been diving into a different key finding from our data that will give you and your organization powerful insight into church giving trends, as well as tips and advice on how to utilize this information for growth.
Can’t wait and want to read them all? Download the full report today!
That commonly held notion that women give more than men? It’s true.
Women in every age group make more Givelify church giving app contributions than men.
The Women’s Philanthropy Institute at Indiana University has documented the same giving pattern in their report, The Gender Gap in Charitable Giving:
“Women are more likely to give, and to give more, than men in similar situations. In one study, baby-boomer and older women gave 89% more to charity than men their age, and women in the top 25% of permanent income gave 156% more than men in the same category.”
The pattern repeats in women of all income levels. Why is that?
Dr. Debra Mesch, whose team directed the research, hypothesized in a piece for The Wall Street Journal:
“Our research found that women tend to be more altruistic and sympathetic than men, partly because of the way men and women are socialized regarding caring, self-sacrifice and the well-being of others.”
Research also suggests men tend to be driven by self-interest or maintaining the status quo, she added, while women are moved to promote social change or help those less fortunate.
Men and women view finances differently.
Gender attitude toward money may also play a role: “For men, money may represent power, achievement or prestige, while women tend to view money in terms of personal security, freedom and a way to achieve goals,” added Mesch. So much so that a 2013 U.S. Trust survey found “women are nearly twice as likely as men to say that giving to charity is the most satisfying aspect of having wealth.”
When it comes to giving to the church, many women may be spending on behalf of the household. “Let this be a wake-up call to nonprofits everywhere,” warns Mesch.
Key Takeaway: Savvy places of worship will change the way they approach worshippers to better engage women in their fundraising strategies.
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