Every year individuals in the United States donate billions of dollars and hours to nonprofit community organizations. For gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) people, giving and volunteering have played an essential role in the development and growth of organizations serving their communities. Despite this support, virtually no research exists on motivational factors and giving patterns of GLBT people.

The Working Group on Funding Lesbian and Gay Issues collaborated with the Institute for Gay and Lesbian Strategic Studies to conduct the first systematic study of motives and barriers to giving and volunteering by GLBT people. Over 2,300 members of GLBT organizations in Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and San Francisco participated in this survey.

GLBT people contribute more than general population

The average GLBT donor in this survey contributed 2.5% ($1,194) of their personal income to nonprofit organizations in the past year. This finding is similar to the 2.2% ($1,017) of household income contributed by the average donor in the United States, as found in a 1996 Independent Sector survey. Patterns of volunteering differ, however, with GLBT volunteers being much more active. The typical volunteer in the United States averages 18 hours per month, while the volunteers in this study averaged 29 hours of volunteer service in the previous month.

More time and money go to GLBT political organizations

Among GLBT organizations, political advocacy groups and political campaigns receive one in four hours volunteered and more than one of every three dollars contributed to gay organizations. Giving and volunteering for non-gay organizations is also concentrated among political groups. This pattern is strikingly different from the general public's giving patterns: the average person in the U.S. gives only 2% of charitable contributions to advocacy groups.

GLBT people give equally to gay and non-gay organizations

Overall, GLBT donors in the survey contribute roughly equal amounts of money to gay and non-gay organizations. The rest, or 14%, goes to HIV/AIDS-related organizations. The pattern for volunteer hours is similar, with 45% of time volunteered for GLBT organizations and slightly less for non-GLBT organizations.

People who are out and active give more

Characteristics of people who give and volunteer were also identified in this research. After controlling for differences in income, gender, age, race, education, etc., the study found that GLBT people who are open about their sexual orientation to their family members and workplace supervisors volunteer more hours and contribute more money than those not "out" to their families and colleagues.

When comparing men and women with similar characteristics, men volunteer two hours more per month and donate $250 more than women to GLBT organizations. The research also found that lesbians who contribute to women's organizations actually give more time and money to GLBT organizations than lesbians who do not support women's groups.

Many people believe donors give money because they have no time to volunteer and volunteers give time because they have limited funds to contribute. In an important finding, this study shows that people who volunteer for GLBT organizations actually donate more money than those who don't volunteer. Further, donors to GLBT organizations give more volunteer hours to organizations than non-donors.

Social change spurs GLBT people to give

Activism: 85% of donors and volunteers say they give to contribute to social and political change for GLBT people.

Altruism: Over 85% of donors and volunteers state helping other GLBT people is an important motive for giving.

Building Social Networks and Community: Knowing someone who benefited from an organization motivates over 1/3 of the volunteers and nearly 1/4 of the donors. Nearly half of the volunteers became involved to meet other GLBT people.

Barriers limit giving and volunteering

The respondents who have not given or volunteered for gay organizations report that lack of time and money are the primary reasons for not being involved. Nearly 20% say they have not been asked to contribute, and only 5% fear being identified as gay if they volunteer or give money to GLBT groups.

Threats and discrimination are major factors in GLBT activism

Nearly half of the survey respondents first became involved to oppose an anti-gay candidate or referendum, or because they felt threatened by anti-gay rhetoric. One third initially gave or volunteered because they knew someone with AIDS, and 30% had a personal experience of discrimination. Finally, over 40% got involved when they became more open about their sexual orientation.

Implications for organizations and funders

This research provides the first study of motives and barriers to giving and volunteering by GLBT people that can be used to expand access to financial and human resources. The lessons learned from this research can be broadly applied to individuals and organizations throughout the country, although the specific findings can only be applied to GLBT people active in GLBT organizations in the three target cities. Nonprofit organizations can use these lessons to develop methods of diversifying their fundraising and volunteer appeals. The results further highlight the need for funders to provide core support and technical assistance to build the capacity of organizations to better serve the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities throughout the country.