According to the 2017 Global Trends in Giving Report, a donor’s ideology has more impact upon which causes and types of nonprofits they support than gender or age. Donors with a conservative ideology are more traditional in their giving while donors with a liberal ideology are more diverse in the types of causes they support. Giving to children and youth, however, is a cause that unites all donors regardless of ideology.

Based upon the survey results of 2,485 self-identified liberal donors, 985 moderate donors, and 542 conservative donors – when asked the question: “To which cause do you donate money to the most often? Please select one or two causes:” – the 4,012 donors responded as listed below.

Donors with a liberal ideology support:

1. Human and civil rights:  11.7%
2. Children and youth:  10.7%
3. Human services:  9.6%
4.
Animals:  9.2%
5. Environment:  8.8%
6. Women and girls:  8.5%
7. Health and safety:  8%
8. Education:  7.4%
9. Arts and culture:  6.8%
10. International development:  6.2%
11. Religious services and faith:  5.3%
12. Community development:  5.2%
13. Research and public policy:  1.5%
14. Peace and non-violence:  1.1%

Donors with a moderate ideology support:

1. Children and youth:  17.8%
2. Religious services and faith:  13.6%
3. Health and safety:  11.1%
4. Animals:  10.4%
5. Human services:  9.1%
6. Education:  8.8%
7. Environment:  5.9%
8. Community development:  5.1%
9. Women and girls:  4.5%
10. International development:  4.2%
11. Arts and culture:  4.1%
12. Human and civil rights:  3.2%
13. Research and public policy:  1.4%
14. Peace and non-violence:  .8%

Donors with a conservative ideology support:

1. Religious services and faith:  29%
2. Children and youth:  15.2%
3. Human services:  11.2%
4. Health and safety:  7.9%
5. Education:  7.8%
6. Animals:  7.5%
7. International development:  4.9%
8. Community development:  4.8%
9. Women and girls:  3.6%
10. Arts and culture:  2.9%
11. Human and civil rights:  2.1%
12. Research and public policy:  1.8%
13. Environment:  1.3%
14. Peace and non-violence:  0%