1999 Private Charitable Generosity Index: Introduction

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There is a fundamental debate under way in many western nations over the role of government. This debate underlies a variety of discussions, from what constitutes a civil society, to the appropriateness of tax policy, to whether the program obligations of government are being achieved. All of these discussions are essentially about what government does, what it should do, and how best it can fulfil its mandate.

The Private Charitable Generosity Index, hereafter referred to simply as the Generosity Index, can help inform part of this debate. It attempts to quantify an inherently ambiguous concept, personal generosity. In addressing this complex personal issue, the Generosity Index attempts not only to quantify the level of individual generosity across jurisdictions, but also to determine explanatory factors that motivate charitable giving.

Generosity has a long history. It is the basic value upon which the tradition of helping others rests. Its importance cannot be over emphasized, for it is individual generosity that provides services from soup kitchens to little league teams. Not only does the donation of money and time to charitable organizations allow them to continue operating, these donations also reinforce the fundamental connection between individuals and their community.

Generosity has two inherent properties: it is both a trait that encourages voluntary aid and a means for self-improvement. If it were not for the generosity of individuals, some goods and services would not be available, either because they are not part of the government’s purview, or because they are not sufficiently profitable on their own to warrant provision by business. In this respect, generosity is distinct from duty. If my aid is obligatory, such as, for example, to my own family, it is not a question of generosity that I provide for them; rather, it is my duty to do so. True generosity refers to giving what is not due, whether it be time, money, or some other valuable commodity.

Second, by donating time or money, individuals develop an important affiliation with their community and an opportunity to improve their own skills and advance their own character growth. Historical thinkers such as Aristotle and de Toqueville, as well as modern day scholars such as Himmelfarb, Olasky, and Machan have articulated this critical role of volunteerism, or generosity, in creating community.

The voluntary sector holds a distinct position between the public and private sectors. From this vantage point, it mirrors the preferences of individuals who donate their time and money. The voluntary sector provides the Canadian economy with a diversity of institutions not geared toward profit-making or government functions, but which provide a richness to Canadian society in the form of welfare-based organizations, sports clubs, arts societies, health agencies, and others.

Organization of this report

This report aims to provide basic information about charitable donations and volunteerism to the public. It is, therefore, largely a data-driven report. The study’s first section briefly discusses of the index, its calculation, and the methodology by which it was calculate. The second section contains the 1999 Private Charitable Generosity Index for the Canadian provinces. The third section expands the 1999 Generosity Index for the provinces to include historical data. Section Four presents the first US-Canada Private Charitable Generosity Index. Section Five contains information on the dollar value of donations for both the provinces and the US states, and the final section contains a brief conclusion and recommendations for further research.

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Last Modified: Thursday, August 5, 1999.