Are women more generous than men?

When it comes to giving to charity, women are in the driver’s seat.

A recent survey conducted by Bank of America Merrill Lynch found that women are more generous than men when it comes to charitable giving, especially with respect to decisions about volunteer activities and smaller financial donations.

Large financial donations are often made jointly.

Reuters asked Lorna Sabbia, managing director and head of retirement and personal wealth solutions at Merrill Lynch, for insights into giving and issues surrounding philanthropy among families and women.

Q: How much are women really driving giving decisions compared with men?

A: Many men and women are both highly altruistic. However, our research shows that more women than men contribute financially and volunteer their time to causes.

The difference may be explainable by their motivations. Women are more likely than men to say helping people in need brings them greater happiness than spending money on themselves, and women are more likely to define success by generosity versus wealth.

Q: How much do issues within a family affect giving, such as children concerned about parents giving away their inheritance?

A: The best way for children not to feel slighted is by involving them in the giving process. Not only are you making them personally invested, but also teaching them important life lessons about generosity.

You can involve children and grandchildren in a number of ways, such as a starting a volunteering tradition – the holidays can be a great time to do so – providing a “giving allowance” that is donated to a nonprofit of their choice, or asking them what causes they are passionate about and finding a way to incorporate it into the family’s philanthropic planning.

Q: What sorts of causes, or types of causes, do women tend to favor?

A: We don’t see many differences between the type of causes men and women give to, which is not surprising.

It isn’t about gender – we have found, it’s about the individual and their life experiences. For instance, someone whose family member has been affected by cancer might give to cancer research.

However, we did see generational differences. For a long time religious organizations have been the largest recipient of charitable dollars, but millennials are giving to educational and art/culture causes at higher rates – signally a potential shift in the future.

Q: At what age do donors tend to become more active and why?

A: Retirement is the best time in life to give back, according to our recent study.

Retirement often presents the perfect recipe for giving – more time, more savings and more skills. As people stop working full-time and “empty nest,” they gain unprecedented amounts of free time. Combine that time with a lifetime of experience, skills and talents, retirees present us with the most available and skilled volunteer workforce.

Retirees also have accumulated more net worth and therefore give the highest average amounts to charities. To be specific, retirees account for 31 percent of the adult U.S. population, but contribute 42 percent of money to charity and 45 percent of total volunteer hours.

Q: How significant for non-profits is the potential of donors donating their time in addition to their money, or instead of it?

A: For those without the means to financially give, volunteering can be a great way to experience the benefits of giving back without writing a check. This is particularly true among retirees, who might be on a fixed income, but have free time and a lifetime of skills to offer. Nonprofits that recognize this opportunity and can tailor their programs to involve retiree volunteers will benefit the most.

(Editing by Beth Pinsker and Steve Orlofsky)

When it comes to giving to charity, women are in the driver's seat.

A recent survey conducted by Bank of America Merrill Lynch found . . .

Follow Us On Google News | Get Our Newsletter



Trending News on PVDN

  • Where do foreigners come from and where do they live in MexicoMexico City Protest on July 5 Challenges Gentrification and Airbnb’s Impact on Housing Residents of Roma and Condesa will gather at Parque México on July 5 to protest gentrification, rising rents, and Airbnb’s effect on local housing. This Saturday, July 5, Mexico City will witness its first organized citizen protest against gentrification—a peaceful but urgent gathering taking place at 3:30 p.m. at the Lindbergh Forum in Parque México,…
  • raw-sewage-playa-los-muertos-puerto-vallartaMore Raw Sewage Dumping at Playa Los Muertos Appear to Come From Local Hotel Business owners in Puerto Vallarta are demanding action after raw sewage was discovered leaking onto Playa Los Muertos, raising public health and tourism concerns. A raw sewage leak at Playa Los Muertos in Puerto Vallarta has sparked outrage among local tourist service providers and business owners, who say the contamination is driving away visitors and…
  • puerto-vallarta-rainfall-hurricane-flossie-july-2025Puerto Vallarta braces for torrential rains as Hurricane Flossie gains strength Puerto Vallarta faces a high risk of flooding as Hurricane Flossie intensifies in the Pacific. Torrential rains and overwhelmed drainage systems pose major challenges for the city. Puerto Vallarta, a city wedged between the Sierra Madre mountains and the Pacific Ocean, is no stranger to dramatic weather shifts—but this summer, the skies are testing the…
  • puerto vallarta lettersPuerto Vallarta needs a new image to create meaningful reasons for travelers to visit Business leaders at Jalisco Tourism Secretariat forums stressed the need for renewing Puerto Vallarta image and diversifying attractions to appeal to national and international markets. Local business leaders and tourism specialists agreed this week that Puerto Vallarta needs a fresh look and a broader range of attractions to compete at home and abroad. In a…
  • José Luis Velázquez RodríguezSEAPAL Official Reported Missing in Puerto Vallarta Authorities in Puerto Vallarta have launched a search for José Luis Velázquez Rodríguez, SEAPAL's head of transparency, who has been missing since June 30. Family and officials are urging the public to report any information. Local authorities and civil protection units have launched a search operation for José Luis Velázquez Rodríguez, head of the Transparency…
  • mexico city real estateGentrification in Mexico City is not the reason for the high cost of housing City housing shortage, not gentrification, drives prices skyward as planning lags behind demand and foreigner influence remains minimal. High real estate costs in Mexico City stem from a deep and persistent housing shortage—exacerbated by land constraints, tangled regulations and speculative investment—rather than by the presence of foreign residents. Despite headlines blaming “gentrification,” foreign-born residents make…
  • no-damage-jalisco-hurricane-flossieNo Damage Reported in Jalisco as Hurricane Flossie Moves Away While Mexico's Weather Service predicted heavy rains, Hurricane Flossie causes no damage along Jalisco’s coast. The Category 3 storm brings light rain and moderate waves as it moves away from the region. The coasts of Jalisco remain calm and largely unaffected following the passage of Hurricane Flossie, a powerful Category 3 storm that is now…
  • hurricane-flossie-strengthens-july-1-2025Hurricane Flossie will bring tropical storm conditions to parts of Guerrero, Michoacán, Colima, and Jalisco Hurricane Flossie intensifies off Mexico's Pacific coast with winds near 90 mph. Heavy rain, flooding, and tropical storm conditions expected in parts of Guerrero, Michoacán, Colima, and Jalisco. Hurricane Flossie continued to intensify early Tuesday morning as it moved west-northwestward off the coast of southwestern Mexico, prompting tropical storm warnings and watches across multiple states.…
  • cancun-sargassum-environmental-fund-responseWhich Quintana Roo Beaches Clean From Sargassum and Those Covered Today July 4 2025 Daily sargassum tracking for July 4, 2025: see which Quintana Roo beaches are clear of sargassum and which have landings, with ongoing cleanup efforts keeping the coast visitor-ready. Welcome to the daily sargassum tracker for the Mexican Caribbean coast. Each morning, we tally which beaches in Quintana Roo remain free of sargassum and which have…
  • protestProtest graffiti and smashed windows mars anti-gentrification rally in Mexico City Residents and activists joined an anti-gentrification rally in Mexico Park, but the anti-gentrification rally Mexico Park turned destructive as masked youths defaced local shops and broke windows. A rally against gentrification held yesterday in Mexico City’s Parque México drew residents from Juárez, Roma, Condesa and Hipódromo alongside local activists. Organizers billed it as the city’s…
Scroll to Top