Which countries are the most charitable?

According to research data, a person’s nationality can have a big impact on how likely they are to donate money to charity. Variables such as religion, culture, and the role of government all come into play to determine on average how generous a nation’s population is.

The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) has conducted thorough research into donation habits between different countries. Spanning a decade and 1.5 million questionnaires across 148 countries, the CAF has compiled a list from this research of the most (and least) altruistic nations.

What’s nice to hear for us is that the UK is among the most giving countries. However, as we’ll see, this is no reason for UK residents to be complacent – individual donations to charities are dropping, whilst also becoming more needed in the wake of harsh austerity cuts. But before we get into what we can do to change this, let’s cover which countries give the most money to charity.

The 5 most charitable countries

• Myanmar

Myanmar consistently tops the ranks for the world’s most generous nations – 81% of respondents in the CAF’s study stated that they have regularly donated money to charitable organisations over the past decade. Whilst many factors may be responsible for this, the most important is religion. The overwhelming majority of the population – as much as 88% – identify as Buddhist. With the act of giving a central pillar of the Buddhist faith, it’s not surprising to see this religious country top the rankings for charitable donations.

• UK

Religion and a long tradition of philanthropy make the UK once of the most charitable countries across the globe.  Ever since its foundation, the Church of England has collected donations from followers and distributed them to those in need. Before 1836, the Church collected tithes in kind – followers could give one-tenth of their wealth or produce of their land (eggs, milk, corn, cattle) to the poor.  After this date, with the passing of the Tithe Commutation Act, it started to accept tithes only in monetary terms.  These days, the Church of England is more likely to accept donations through GoodBox’s contactless tap to give systems.

Alongside the impact of religion, the charitable nature of the UK has been developed through a rich, centuries-long tradition of philanthropy.  In 1601, the Statute of Charitable Uses was passed, outlining for the first time what could be defined as ‘charitable’.  Later on in Victorian England, a great number of charities were founded to help alleviate problems caused by the Industrial Revolution, notably Thomas Barnado set up an organisation to address the plights of London’s orphans, and the Salvation Army was established to help the poor learn new skills.

While this strong history of charitable giving has remained to an extent, there are signs that the UK’s generosity is on the wane. The CAF reports that fewer and fewer people have been making donations to charities over the past few years – between 2016 and 2018 there has been a drop from 69% to 65% in Brits making regular donations. At GoodBox, we are trying to change this by digitally transforming charities and nonprofits.

• Malta

Following the UK is the small Mediterranean island of Malta. With a strong Catholic tradition, again religion could be seen as the main driver behind charitable behaviour in this nation – 71% of the population reported giving regular donations in the previous 10 years.

Another factor that may be behind this impressive ranking is certain governmental policy.  The ‘Individual Investor Programme’ in particular has caused some controversy.  Those wishing to obtain Maltese citizenship may ‘fast-track’ their application by making substantial donations to charities based in the country; since 2015 approximately 3.8 million euros have been donated through this scheme.

• Thailand

Religious and cultural aspects combine to propel Thailand into the list of the world’s most generous countries with 71% of the population making regular donations – the same as Malta.  Again, the role of Buddhism is significant – with 95% of the nation adhering to the religion, the practice of giving is ingrained within Thai society.  Interestingly, studies have also shown that the larger Thai families are, and the older the head of the family, the more they donate to charitable causes – this is probably because they tend to have more disposable income as well as the influence of elders in maintaining traditional giving.

• The Netherlands

Similarly to the UK, donations by the Dutch – renowned for their friendly demeanour – are also following a downward trend, despite still being ranked amongst the most charitable in the world. Research has shown that theNetherlands are donating ever-smaller proportions of their income to good causes; it’s been suggested that this is the result of the disappearance of religion and prosocial behaviour in the country.

Keeping the UK in the game

Take a look in your pockets. It’s likely the only things in there are old tissues or if you’re lucky, a rogue piece of chewing gum. People are carrying cash and coins less these days and even if they want to make a donation, often they simply can’t. To maintain its position as one of the world’s most generous countries and combat the recent downward trend in donations, charitable organisations of the UK must adapt to our cashless way of living. With less donations being made, the aid sector needs to ensure they maximise their fundraising potential and give their supporters every chance of making donations to their cause in a modern way.

This might mean implementing different,more engaging ways of fundraising or adopting a better use of technology such as our contactless giving solutions to continue to collect donations despite the disappearance of cash

GoodBox offers simple technology-based solutions to help unlock the potential of charities and nonprofits. Our custom-made, cashless donation units ensure charities and religious organisations can raise funds and stay up-to-date with ever changing donor behaviours, while our fundraising portal provides insights into donor behaviour and crucial analysis.

Thanks to our tap to give technology and fundraising portal, organisations such as the Church of England and The Natural History Museum are embracing the shift away from cash and ensuring greater revenue through donations. To find out more about how we are helping charities here in the UK, check out our case studies. You can also get in contact with our team if you fancy picking our brains on how technology can keep the UK as one of the most generous countries in the world.