Political views may have a bearing on charitable causes donors support, according to an analysis from npfSynergy
The survey shows Lib Dem supporters are significantly more likely to donate to children/youth issues, animals and the environment, but to give well below average support to hospices and charities for older people. Tory voters are more likely to give to hospices, but significantly below average to children/youth, social welfare and homelessness charities. Meanwhile, Labour supporters prefer to give to services for older people, plus health/disability issues.
The findings come from the Charity Awareness Monitor March 2010 which questioned 1,000 people aged 16+ about their giving of time and money. It found that 81% of Lib Dems had given to charity in the previous three months, compared with 80% of Conservative supporters and 78% of Labour supporters. 77% of the general public had given in the same period.
nfpSynergy researcher, Rebecca Molyneux, says: “We already know that being engaged politically is linked with greater charitable involvement. However, following this new data, it will be interesting to see how differences in charitable sympathies might affect party policy – notably within the Lib Dem-Conservative coalition itself, as its Big Society programme unfolds.”
