Canadians will donate more, volunteer more in 2010, poll finds

Canadians will donate more money to charity and give more of their time as volunteers to non-profit organizations, according to an Investors Group poll being released today. 29% of Canadians surveyed say they plan to donate more time to worthwhile causes in 2010 while 19% plan to give more money to charity.

In 2009, the average Canadian did 13 hours of volunteer work each month and donated $1,041 to non-profits during the year. Because of the poor economy, 63% said they were unable to give as much as they would have preferred.

"It's good to see Canadians are giving what they can, even if it's not as much as they would like," said Richard Irish, vice president of community affairs for Investors Group [pictured]. "Regardless of how much you give, it's the cumulative power of donations that makes a significant difference to those in need."

Most find it harder to give time than money

Volunteering one's time provides the most personal satisfaction, but Canadians find it more convenient to instead donate money. 69% found giving time to be more satisfying but 80% donated money this year compared to 52% who gave of their time.

For 90%, the strongest motivation is a cause that matters to them. Only 34% cited tax credits as their reason for donating, and just 3% admitted to being motivated by the chance to receive public recognition.

Charity begins at home, or locally

Local initiatives are the favourite choice , 89% indicating they usually volunteer locally and 82% saying they donate to local organizations and causes. For the most part, we spread our "good works" throughout the year: only 7% wait till December to make donations and only 3% volunteer only in the last month of the year.

The Harris/Decima poll was conducted during the first two weeks of December 2009.

Posted: December 21, 2009, 6:45 AM by Jonathan_Chevreau - The Financial Post