Explaining Gender Differences in Charitable Giving: the Dutch Case

Arjen de Wit and René BekkersCenter for Philanthropic Studies

VU University Amsterdam

ARNOVA 2012 Annual ConferenceNovember 15, Indianapolis

Gender Differences in Giving

• Gender and charitable giving: mixed results• No gender differences?• Men give higher amounts?• Recent studies in US/UK: women more likely

to give and give higher amounts• How about the Netherlands?

Different Context: the Netherlands

Different Context: the Netherlands

Different Context: the Netherlands

• Relatively high number of women in labor force

• Relatively high number of part-time workers• Relatively extensive social programs

Gender Differences: Why?

• Values• Costs• Solicitation• Reputation

Gender Differences: Why?

Data

• Giving in the Netherlands Panel Study (GINPS) 2010

• N = 1,692• Households, both couples and singles

% donating50

60

70

80

90

10093

89

FemalesMales

The Dutch Case: More Women Give…

*

...More Frequently…

No. of donations in 20090

2

4

6

8

10

1210,7

8,1

FemalesMales

*

…But Lower Amounts In Total...

Total amount donated in 20090

50

100

150

200

250

300

216,42

264,14

FemalesMales

*

(donors only)

…And Lower Amounts Per Donation.

Amount donated per donation act0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

7,81

13,11

FemalesMales

(donors only)

*

Why Do More Women Give?

Why Do More Women Give?

Female Values Costs Solicitation Reputation1

1,2

1,4

1,6

1,8

Odds ratios of donating for females vs. males in different models

Female Values Costs Solicitation Reputation1

1,2

1,4

1,6

1,8

Why Do More Women Give?

Odds ratios of donating for females vs. males in different models

*

Why Do More Women Give?

Female Values Costs Solicitation Reputation1

1,2

1,4

1,6

1,8

*

Odds ratios of donating for females vs. males in different models

Why Do More Women Give?

Female Values Costs Solicitation Reputation1

1,2

1,4

1,6

1,8

*

Odds ratios of donating for females vs. males in different models

Why Do More Women Give?

Female Values Costs Solicitation Reputation1

1,2

1,4

1,6

1,8

*

Odds ratios of donating for females vs. males in different models

Why Do More Women Give?

Female Values Costs Solicitation Reputation1

1,2

1,4

1,6

1,8

*

Odds ratios of donating for females vs. males in different models

Why Do Women Give More Frequently?

Why Do Women Give More Frequently?

Female Values Costs Solicitation Reputation0

0,5

1

1,5

2

2,5

3

OLS regression coefficients of female on frequency of donating

Why Do Women Give More Frequently?

Female Values Costs Solicitation Reputation0

0,5

1

1,5

2

2,5

3

*

OLS regression coefficients of female on frequency of donating

Why Do Women Give More Frequently?

Female Values Costs Solicitation Reputation0

0,5

1

1,5

2

2,5

3

*

OLS regression coefficients of female on frequency of donating

Why Do Women Give More Frequently?

Female Values Costs Solicitation Reputation0

0,5

1

1,5

2

2,5

3

*

*

OLS regression coefficients of female on frequency of donating

Why Do Women Give More Frequently?

Female Values Costs Solicitation Reputation0

0,5

1

1,5

2

2,5

3

*

**

OLS regression coefficients of female on frequency of donating

Why Do Women Give More Frequently?

OLS regression coefficients of female on frequency of donatingFemale Values Costs Solicitation Reputation

0

0,5

1

1,5

2

2,5

3

*

** *

Why Do Men Give Higher Amounts?

Why Do Men Give Higher Amounts?

OLS regression coefficients of female on total amount donated Female Values Costs Solicitation Reputation

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

Why Do Men Give Higher Amounts?

OLS regression coefficients of female on total amount donated Female Values Costs Solicitation Reputation

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

*

Why Do Men Give Higher Amounts?

OLS regression coefficients of female on total amount donated Female Values Costs Solicitation Reputation

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

*

*

Why Do Men Give Higher Amounts?

OLS regression coefficients of female on total amount donated Female Values Costs Solicitation Reputation

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

*

*

*

Why Do Men Give Higher Amounts?

OLS regression coefficients of female on total amount donated Female Values Costs Solicitation Reputation

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

*

*

**

*

Why Do Men Give Higher Amounts?

OLS regression coefficients of female on total amount donated Female Values Costs Solicitation Reputation

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

*

*

** *

Why Do Men Give More Per Donation?

Why Do Men Give More Per Donation?

Female Values Costs Solicitation Reputation-6

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

0

OLS regression coefficients of female on amount per donation act

Why Do Men Give More Per Donation?

Female Values Costs Solicitation Reputation-6

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

0

*

OLS regression coefficients of female on amount per donation act

Why Do Men Give More Per Donation?

Female Values Costs Solicitation Reputation-6

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

0

* *

OLS regression coefficients of female on amount per donation act

Why Do Men Give More Per Donation?

Female Values Costs Solicitation Reputation-6

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

0

* * *

OLS regression coefficients of female on amount per donation act

Why Do Men Give More Per Donation?

Female Values Costs Solicitation Reputation-6

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

0

* * *

OLS regression coefficients of female on amount per donation act

Why Do Men Give More Per Donation?

Female Values Costs Solicitation Reputation-6

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

0

* * *

OLS regression coefficients of female on amount per donation act

Conclusions

• Prosocial motives fully explain why women are more likely to give

• Men give higher amounts, especially when prosocial motives are taken into account

• Costs can explain this

Conclusions

• Prosocial motives fully explain why women are more likely to give

• Men give higher amounts, especially when prosocial motives are taken into account

• Costs can explain this.

Conclusions

• Prosocial motives fully explain why women are more likely to give

• Men give higher amounts, especially when prosocial motives are taken into account

• Costs can explain this..

Conclusions

• Prosocial motives fully explain why women are more likely to give

• Men give higher amounts, especially when prosocial motives are taken into account

• Costs can explain this...

Conclusions

• Prosocial motives fully explain why women are more likely to give

• Men give higher amounts, especially when prosocial motives are taken into account

• Costs can explain this... partly

Conclusions

Thank you

• Arjen de Wit, a.de.wit@vu.nl• René Bekkers, r.bekkers@vu.nl• www.giving.nl