This study examines high-income charitable giving in the USA from 1917 to 2012, revealing an inverse relationship between donations and income inequality. This finding contradicts prevailing theories suggesting increased giving with rising inequality. The negative correlation persists even when controlling for other variables, both nationally and at the state level. The research suggests that low payout ratios of foundations and endowed charities, combined with this inverse relationship, may perpetuate rather than alleviate inequality over time and across different regions.
We use essential and analytics cookies to operate this website and understand how visitors interact with it. As this site also functions as a login identity provider (IDP) for other ISDM portals, some cookies are necessary to enable secure authentication. By continuing to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies.
