Latinx donors in the United States emphasize family, faith, and local communities in their giving and are significantly more likely to engage in informal giving compared to non-Latinx households, according to a new report released today by Hispanics in Philanthropy and the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
Latinx Philanthropy: Understanding Generosity Trends Across Latinx Communities in the U.S. provides new insights into dynamic patterns and long-term trends of Latinx philanthropy. It offers recommendations for donors, nonprofits and fundraisers on variations among Latinx giving, barriers and challenges for Latinx nonprofits and trends to watch. The data and information in the report stem from literature reviews, three major surveys, and two Latinx focus groups comprised of donors, philanthropic advisors and nonprofit professionals.
“Our goal was to broaden the formal research available on Latine generosity. Our communities are incredibly diverse and this builds on what we know to be true. Latines are relationship-focused with a strong commitment to supporting family and community. We are expanding the definition of generosity,” said Ana Marie Argilagos, President and CEO of Hispanics in Philanthropy.
Notably, the study emphasizes the range of diversity within Latinx communities including countries of origin and/or descent, immigration status, language preferences, values, faith, wealth and education. It explores giving motivations and practices among Latinx donors in the United States, including high-net-worth Latinx donors, and identifies long-term giving trends. It examines how factors such as time lived in the U.S., language preference and immigration status are linked to variations in rates of giving.
Among the study's key findings:
- Latinx donors commonly give based on values, interests, organizational connections and identities. This includes giving which often occurs horizontally—between families and communities—rather than vertically toward organizations.
- Latinx households are significantly more likely to engage in informal giving compared to non-Latinx households. This holds true even when controlling for other factors, such as education level, age, marital status, gender, income and wealth, employment status, religion and immigration status.
- Family involvement is also important among Latinx high net worth donors; they are more likely to involve children, grandchildren, and/or younger relatives in giving decision-making than non-Latinx high net worth donors.
- An increasingly smaller percentage of Latinx households gave to charitable organizations between 2000 and 2018 (from 44% to 26%), a pattern comparable to trends in the general U.S. population.
- The most common priority causes for Latinx household charitable giving were 1) religious congregations; 2) food, shelter, and basic necessities; 3) healthcare and medical research; and 4) education. These priorities matched those of non-Latinx households.
- Among Latinx households, rates of giving to nonprofits differed based on immigration status and amount of time lived in the United States.
“Latinx philanthropy and generosity is a vital part of the charitable landscape in the United States and is informed by unique faith and giving traditions, as well as migration experience,” said Una Osili, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Research and International Programs at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. “By analyzing long-term giving trends of Latinx donors and exploring the diverse lens of Latinx generosity with focus group discussions, this report provides a wide-ranging analysis of how and why Latinx communities practice generosity throughout the United States.”
Additionally, the report includes implications for donors and nonprofit professionals:
- Family, faith, and community are important for Latinx giving decisions and priorities. Understanding the central role of family and intergenerational involvement and engaging with Latinx communities on strategic priorities can inform more robust stewardship practices.
- Latinx focus group participants emphasized the need for Latinx donors to shift from short-term crisis responses to strategic, long-term investments in Latinx communities, including philanthropic engagement and education among younger Latinx generations. Understanding these trends can benefit engagement with Latinx donors, whose communities have demonstrated a desire to widen their philanthropic reach.
- “Latinx” is a pan-ethnic umbrella term used in the report, but many people do not use this term to self-identify. Understanding the diversity within Latinx self-identification and terminology can inform fundraising and nonprofit communications and relationships.
"We hope that this report brings us closer to a necessary understanding about the complexities of giving in and across Latine communities,” said Hilda Vega, Deputy Vice President of Philanthropic Practice at Hispanics in Philanthropy. "It's a resource that we hope many across the philanthropic sector will use to challenge and transform practices to reflect the giving trends of our communities, not the other way around."
Read the full report and appendices and view the infographic.
About Hispanics in Philanthropy
Hispanics in Philanthropy leverages philanthropic resources to mobilize and amplify the power of our communities. We’ve been building, funding, and fueling Latine power for 40 years. We’re conveners, creating spaces for organizations, the private sector, and philanthropy to connect and collaborate in order to dismantle the inequities that affect the wellbeing of Latines in the U.S. and our communities across the Americas. Follow us on social @BeHIPGive on Instagram, YouTube, or Threads, and “Like” us on Facebook.
About the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
The Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy is dedicated to improving philanthropy to improve the world by training and empowering students and professionals to be innovators and leaders who create positive and lasting change. The school offers a comprehensive approach to philanthropy through its undergraduate, graduate, certificate and professional development programs, its research and international programs, and through The Fund Raising School, Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy, Women’s Philanthropy Institute, and the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative. Follow us on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, or Instagram and “Like” us on Facebook.