While Americans view philanthropic giving as valuable, many are unfamiliar with the sector’s services, institutions, and debates affecting philanthropy’s future, a study from Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy finds. 

Based on a nationally representative survey of more than 1,300 adults in the United States, the report, What Americans Think About Philanthropy and Nonprofits (52 pages, PDF), funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, examines public awareness, attitudes, and perceptions of philanthropy, philanthropic-sector institutions, and policies that govern and affect charitable giving. More than three-quarters of people surveyed said that they believed society as whole benefits a large or moderate amount when Americans donate money to charity. The study found that 5.4 percent of people surveyed said they or anyone in their immediate family received services from a charitable organization or nonprofit in the past year. Considering the many ways people engage with nonprofits in daily life, from education, disaster relief, and religious services to amateur athletics, civic beautification, and the arts, this suggests many Americans may not recognize that these and other public services are provided by nonprofits. The study also explored how aware and knowledgeable the public is about various philanthropic entities. The study found that fewer than one in three respondents said they were familiar with any of the philanthropic entities listed. 

“Although the American public appears to have confidence in philanthropy compared to the government or private sector, there are some key challenges ahead,” said Lilly Family School of Philanthropy associate dean for research and international programs Una Osili. “American households are less knowledgeable about the specific benefits that the philanthropic sector provides and have concerns about the overall transparency of the sector. This study helps us better understand public views, which in turn can bolster the efforts of nonprofits and the sector’s leaders to help build greater levels of knowledge and trust that are vital to sustaining philanthropy, with mutual benefit to donors and recipients alike.”

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