Kiwis are truly big-hearted when it comes to giving money — fact!
How do we know? The results of our recent Inspiring Generosity survey prove it. Of the 1099 people who replied to the survey, the vast majority reiterated how generous Kiwis are. Recent international reports back up these findings. Earlier this year, New Zealand ranked as the second most generous country in the Charities Aid Foundation’s Gross Domestic Philanthropy report. And in the 2015 World Giving Index New Zealand was named third out of 145 countries when it came to donating money, volunteering or helping a stranger.
“I am a prison volunteer and regularly facilitate a grief programme with groups of prisoners. As a retired professional, I find that this is one of the most worthwhile activities I have ever been involved in.”
— Survey respondent
At The Tindall Foundation we were keen to find out more. What motivates people to give their money, time and expertise for the good of others? How does it impact on their lives? The survey produced a wealth of interesting insights, which we aim to share via our e-newsletter and website over the coming months. Some highlights:
- Kiwis give in many ways to many causes, with a staggering 93% contributing in more than one way
- People give from the heart, for the good of others and the community, rather than for personal gain or recognition
- Giving is good for you — it makes people feel connected, happy, healthy, energised, empowered and grateful
How we give
Respondents reported giving in many ways to a wide range of community groups and organisations. Often people give both time and money to help others; 93% said they give in more than one way.
Who do we give to?
- 80% give to charity
- 47% give to community groups
- 35% give to religious groups
- 33% give to social services
- 30% give to education and health
How do we give?
- 80% volunteering
- 65% one-off cash donations
- 47% participating in community/organisation events
- 39% fundraising
- 38% pro bono work
- 35% sponsoring others taking part in a fundraising event
- 29% awareness raising
- 25% mentoring
- 16% payroll giving
“I organised a Pink Ribbon Breakfast to fundraise for breast cancer in honour of a young friend who is currently battling the disease. It was a great way to show support for my friend, as well as raising money and awareness for a worthy cause.”
— Survey respondent
What motivates people to give?
We already knew that New Zealanders are generous of spirit because we see it every day in our work. The big question for us was — why? In a world where money is tight, time is limited, families are under pressure and stress levels are high, what motivates and inspires people to help others?
“I don’t really do it for personal gain; it is more about what is right and good in the community/society.”
— Survey respondent
We discovered that Kiwis give from the heart: for the good of others, their community and the environment. Less than 1% of respondents said they were motivated to give in order to gain recognition or work experience for their CV.
Across all types of giving, the most popular motivations were to ‘give back to their community/an organisation’ and to ‘make a difference’.
Giving is good for you
“It’s a great feeling to be able to give back and be part of something that you know will collectively make a difference to someone’s life.”
— Survey respondent
Giving of our time and talents and money is a warming experience. The giver gets far more out of it than the receiver.
So how does giving make people feel? We had a hunch that giving is good for you, but we couldn’t be sure. The survey establishes that being generous is a positive experience for the giver, making them feel happy, connected and proud to be part of a community working together to make a difference.
It was interesting to find that a large proportion, 69% of respondents, said giving provides them with a greater sense of connection and belonging, 48% said it makes them happy, and 43% said it gives them an increased sense of wellbeing. People also felt grateful (35%), energised (22%) and empowered (22%) by their experience.
“I always learn something or meet someone new or see a new opportunity. I’d feel bereft if for some reason I wasn’t able to ‘give’ anymore.”
“I felt very humbled and proud, and the opportunity to give back to our hapu/iwi was very enlightening.”
“I’m part of a group that helped rescue an area of native bush — felt grateful, connected and proud of my community.”
— Survey respondents
Experiences of giving
Of the 1099 people who completed our survey, 820 took the time to relate a memorable experience of giving. We were so inspired by the many stories of charitable behaviour that we wanted to share some with you.
“I volunteer for a community fitness group once a week, and not only does it help them to provide a worthy service to the community, it also makes me feel like I am part of something bigger than myself, which I think is important for self-esteem and for a sense of belonging.”
— Survey respondent“A memorable experience for me was working with the City Mission every year for Christmas with my dad. We didn’t have much ourselves, but it was awesome being able to give our time and hearts to others and really feel that sense of community.”
— Survey respondent
Conclusion
It is easy to draw a conclusion to our survey: Kiwis care about one another. They give more than just money — sharing time, energy and skills. We are incredibly lucky to live in a nation where people value generosity and see the benefits of giving, not only to the receiver but also to their own lives, connecting them to their community and increasing their sense of wellbeing.
Read our annual report here.