USAID CIDI Poll: Majority of Americans (63%) Have Donated to Relief Organizations in the Aftermath of Natural Disasters in the Past Five Years, Understand Monetary Donations are Preferred Way to Contribute

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In the past five years, a majority of Americans (63%) have made donations to relief organizations in the aftermath of a natural disaster, according to a recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of the U.S. Agency for International Development's Center for International Disaster Information (USAID CIDI) and in partnership with Hill+Knowlton Strategies (H+K). 

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The nationwide survey, conducted online in August among more than 2,000 adults (age 18+), was designed to get a better understanding of attitudes and behaviors among U.S. adults who have and have not donated to relief organizations after a natural disaster in the past five years. In crafting the study, USAID CIDI looked at items most frequently donated by U.S. adults, motivations behind donations, whether individuals would donate if a disaster were to occur tomorrow, reasons why some donate money rather than food or material items, and the methods by which donations were completed.

The survey found that since 2008, 65% of Americans who made donations to a relief organization in the past 5 years chose to donate money and 41% of Americans overall donated money. One-third (33%) of Americans who have donated nothing to a relief organization in the past five years indicate they would donate money to a relief organization if a natural disaster occurred somewhere in the world tomorrow. It is widely understood among 79% of Americans that relief organizations prefer that people donate money unless organizations specifically ask otherwise; this is true especially among older Americans (age 55+) (89%). 

"The good news is that many Americans understand that monetary donations to reputable relief organizations are the most effective way to help survivors of disaster events," said Juanita Rilling, Director of USAID CIDI. Rilling also said of the survey,"We now have a better idea of why people donate as they do, and that there is a growing understanding of impacts on survivors of monetary versus material donations to relief organizations."

The survey also highlighted key demographics among donors. For instance, adults age 35-44 who have donated money to a relief organization in the past five years are more likely to have made these donations online than any other age group (59% of those ages 35-44 vs. 43% of those ages 18-34, 41% of those ages 45-54 and 37% of those ages 55+). Older adults age 55+ (48%) are more likely to have donated money in the aftermath of a disaster in the past five years than any other age group.  And, employment status and income level could play a role among those who have not donated in the past five years; in fact, retired adults (70%) are more likely to have made a donation than those who are employed full-time/self-employed (63%) or unemployed (62%).

Survey Methodology:

This survey was conducted online within the United States between August 22-26, 2013 among 2,020 adults (age 18+), of whom 1,170 have donated cash or material to a relief organization in the aftermath of a natural disaster in the past five years. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. [For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Dilafruz Khonikboyeva at 202.783.0002 or by email at [email protected].

About USAID CIDI
USAID CIDI is based in Washington, DC, and was created in 1988 to educate Americans about the best ways to help people affected by disasters overseas. The organization works with partners to promote activities and donations to channel public energy and generosity in ways most helpful to beneficiaries. The Center was created and is funded by the United States Agency for International Development's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance. For more information about USAID CIDI and helping people who are affected by disasters, please visit www.cidi.org.

SOURCE USAID CIDI