Good Question: How Much Do Minnesotans Donate?
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – On Thursday, charities across the state will be asking for donations during Minnesota's sixth annual Give to the Max Day.
Last year, more than 52,000 people gave $17 million in 24 hours, which is part of the $4 billion dollars Minnesotans give away every year.
So, how much do we donate? And, where does it all go?
A recent Gallup survey found 66 percent of Minnesotans say they give away money each year.
But, only 31 percent of mention their charitable donations on their tax returns.
"If you think about your own giving; when the Boy Scouts come to your door and they're planning a camping trip, you give them those couple dollars and you don't immediately go write it down," said Trista Harris, president of the Council on Minnesota Foundations.
According to the Chronicle of Philanthropy , Minnesotans donate 2.6 percent of their income. It averages $4,063/year, which ranks Minnesota as 31st in the country.
"The wealthy give the largest number of dollars. But when it comes to percentage of income, low-income people actually give a much higher percentage of their income," Harris said.
Giving USA says, nationally, 32 percent of charitable donations go towards religious organizations, 13 percent to education, 12 percent to human services, 8 percent to health, 8 percent to international affairs, 4 percent to culture/arts and 3 percent to environment/animals.
For more information on how to Give to the Max, you can head to their website. More than $6.4 million will be available to nonprofits and schools through matching gifts raised by organizations.