Key findings:
- Three in five (60%) U.S. adults who donated money to charity in the past 12 months say caring about the cause motivated them to give.
- Among those who have not donated, 41% cite affordability as the main reason, rising to 49% among women.
- Nearly two in five U.S. adults (39%) say clear evidence of how donations are used would encourage future giving.
- More than half (52%) say a lack of trust in a charity would make them less likely to donate, while 48% cite feeling pressured into giving.
Charities often rely on public generosity to support their work, but what encourages people to give, and what might hold them back?
The first part of our U.S. charity research series explored how adults support charitable causes through monetary donations, donating goods and volunteering.
In this second installment, YouGov research examines what motivates charitable donations, why some adults choose not to give, and the factors that could influence future contributions.
Why do U.S. adults donate to charity?
Among U.S. adults who donated money to charity in the past 12 months, caring about the cause is the most common motivation (60%).
Trust also plays an important role. More than two in five donors (42%) say they were motivated by trusting the charity or receiving a clear explanation of how donations would be used. Previous donations to the same charity (35%) and a desire to support the local community (30%) also feature prominently.
Around a quarter (24%) cite evidence of the charity's impact, while 17% say they or someone they know have been personally affected by the cause.
Motivations vary across generations. Baby Boomer donors are more likely than Gen Z donors to cite trust or clarity about how donations are used (53% vs. 36%). They are also more likely to be motivated by the fact they have donated to the charity before (46% vs. 14%).
Meanwhile, a quarter of Gen Z donors (25%) say a quick and easy donation process motivated them to give, compared with 14% of donors overall.
Why don't U.S. adults donate to charity?
For U.S. adults who have not donated money to charity in the past 12 months, affordability is the biggest barrier. Two in five (41%) say they cannot afford to donate, with women more likely than men to cite this reason (49% vs. 32%).
Financial constraints are particularly common among Gen X non-donors (48%) and Millennials (44%), compared with 31% of Gen Z.
Beyond affordability, nearly one in five non-donors (18%) say there is no particular reason they have not given or that they just haven’t thought about it. This is higher among male non-doners (20%), Gen Z (20%) and Millennials (22%).
Concerns about how charities spend donations account for 9% of responses overall, rising to 19% among Baby Boomers. Other reasons, including prioritizing spending on other things (6%) and a general lack of trust in charities (4%), are less commonly cited as the main barrier.
What would encourage U.S. adults to donate to charity?
Looking ahead, transparency emerges as the leading factor that would encourage charitable giving – nearly two in five U.S. adults (39%).
Supporting a local cause or community (33%) and a charity having a strong reputation (30%) follow closely. Around three in ten (29%) say supporting a cause that personally affects them or someone they know would encourage them to give, while 28% cite evidence of the impact previous donations have made.
Donation flexibility also matters. More than a quarter (27%) say the option to make a small one-off donation would encourage giving, while 22% would welcome the ability to choose how their contribution is used.
Baby Boomers are more likely than Millennials to value clear evidence of how donations are used (45% vs. 33%). Meanwhile, Gen Z adults are more likely than Boomers to be encouraged by recommendations from someone they trust (29% vs. 15%) and quick payment options (22% vs. 11%).
What puts U.S. adults off donating to charity?
While transparency and trust can encourage giving, concerns about these factors can also discourage donations.
More than half of U.S. adults (52%) say not trusting a charity would make them less likely to donate. Nearly half (48%) cite feeling pressured or guilted into giving, while 43% are discouraged by not knowing how their money will be used.
Concerns about spending on administration or fundraising (42%) and requests to sign up for recurring monthly donations (41%) also feature prominently.
Fundraising approaches can have a similar effect. Two in five (40%) say receiving too many requests or follow-up messages would discourage them, while 39% cite unwanted approaches such as street, telephone or door-to-door fundraising.
The use of AI in charity marketing is another potential deterrent, with 38% saying AI-generated content would make them less likely to donate.
Baby Boomers are particularly sensitive to several of these factors. More than three in five (61%) cite a lack of trust in a charity, compared with 45% of Gen Z. Boomers are also more likely to be discouraged by concerns about administrative or fundraising costs (56% vs. 35%) and requests for recurring donations (53% vs. 35%).
Methodology: YouGov Surveys: Serviced provides quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. This study was conducted online between August 20-21, 2026, with a nationally representative sample of 1,291 adults (aged 18+ years) in the US, using a questionnaire designed by YouGov. Data figures have been weighted by age, race, gender, education, and region to be representative of all adults in the US (18 years or older), and reflect the latest population estimates from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Image: Getty Images
