Five Reasons to Give to Charity
Donating to causes you care about not only benefits the charities themselves, but can be very rewarding for you as well. Millions of people regularly donate to charities to support causes they believe in and the positive impact they have on their lives.
So why is charitable giving so satisfying? We've taken a closer look at five reasons to donate to the charity of your choice.
1. Giving to charity makes you feel good
Donating to charity is a major mood booster. Knowing that you are helping others is very encouraging and in turn can make you feel happy and fulfilled. Research has identified a link between charitable giving and increased activity in the area of the brain that registers pleasure - proving that, as the old saying goes, giving is much better than receiving.
Our own research into why people file backs this up. We asked 700 generous donors to tell us what motivates them to donate regularly to charity; 42% agreed that the enjoyment they get from giving has a big impact.
What kind of donor are you?
2. Giving to charity reinforces personal values
In our Why We Give survey, a sense of social conscience was the most prevalent reason for giving to charity. Regardless of the type of philanthropy they support, 96% said they feel a moral duty to use what they have to help others, a feeling rooted in their personal values and principles.
Having the ability to improve the lives of others is, for many people, a privilege and a privilege that comes with its own sense of obligation. Acting on these strong feelings of responsibility is a great way to reinforce our personal values and feel that we are living up to our moral beliefs.
3. Giving is more effective than ever
Many people worry that their charitable donations may be reduced by taxes or administrative costs, preventing the full amount from reaching the people or causes they really want to help. Fortunately, there are ways to get the most out of any charitable donation.
If you're a UK taxpayer, you can increase the amount of any donation you make by donating through Gift Aid, a tax relief created to help charities get the most from the money they receive. As Gift Aid allows the charity to reclaim basic rate tax on your donation, the scheme adds 25p for every £1 you give at no extra cost to you.
There are many other ways in which you can donate tax effectively to charities, such as donating directly from your pre-tax salary through a payroll giving scheme, donating shares to charities or leaving a charitable bequest in your will. These ways of giving ensure that your chosen charities will benefit as much as possible from your support.
4. Giving to charity teaches your children the importance of generosity
Sharing the experience of donating to charity with your children shows them from a young age that they can make a positive difference in the world. Children naturally want to help others, so nurturing their innate generosity is likely to mean they grow up with a greater appreciation for what they have and will continue to support philanthropy for years to come.
Starting a tradition of charitable giving with your children is easy - try creating a family giving fund that everyone can add to and nominate a family charity each year and involve the children in choosing the causes to support.
5. Donating to charity encourages friends and family to do the same
Your charitable donations can inspire your nearest and dearest to donate to causes that are important to them, and can even bring an entire family effort to support a charity or charities that are especially important to you as a group.
Family giving creates a bond, helps strengthen relationships with a shared purpose, and raises more money than would otherwise be possible through individual donations. Chances are, many of your family members already donate to charity, so working together can help you make an even bigger positive impact. We can help you and your family set up a CAF Charitable Foundation to make coordinating your donations simple and sustainable.