New Canadians driven to give

By Mata Press Service

Newcomers to Canada and second-generation Canadians are highly motivated to support charitable causes, according to a new survey from Imagine Canada, Ethnicity Matters and a coalition of charities and nonprofits.

The 2020 study, titled the Multicultural and Newcomer Charitable Giving Study, is one of the first in Canada to explore the influence of ethnicity on supporting charities.

The study’s conclusion: the communities surveyed – South Asian, Chinese, Filipino, Black (Afro-Caribbean/African), Arab and Iranian – share a strong willingness to embrace community service.

The study shows that newcomers to Canada and second-generation citizens are driven to give and volunteer out of a sense of duty to advance the well-being of their communities and Canadian society generally.

Empathy for those in need is deeply rooted in strong family and religious values.

Three-quarters of those surveyed say giving is the right thing to do, while seven-in-ten believe it is very important to pass on these values by teaching their children about the importance of charitable giving.

“The good news emerging from this research is that generosity is thriving in multicultural communities across Canada,” says Bruce MacDonald, President & CEO of Imagine Canada.

“The experience of settling in a new country has given newcomers and second-generation Canadians a highly compassionate perspective on taking care of others. Charities and nonprofits are on the frontline of providing services when people arrive in this country, so their first experiences reflect a caring society. These groups are highly aware of the goodness created when people help each other.”

The study also underscores the enormous potential for charities and nonprofits to engage multicultural Canadians in their respective causes that would include participation as donors. The survey found, for example, that six-in-ten donors (58 percent) believe they can give more and only a third are happy with the amount they give.

Findings related to the willingness and ability to give, coupled with census data, indicate that the newcomer groups surveyed have the financial capacity to provide charities with nearly $1.7 billion in new funding annually.

Key Findings  

• On average, newcomers and second-generation Canadians give $857 per year in donations;

• 82 percent have either donated or volunteered in the past year (74 percent have donated and 54 percent have volunteered);

• 75 percent support charities because “It’s the right thing to do”;

• 70 percent believe it is very important for today’s parents to teach their children about charitable giving;

• 70 percent believe even helping a little bit is always worthwhile;

• 59 percent have a higher regard for businesses that donate to charitable causes compared to those who do not;

• 54 percent would like to do more for charities by volunteering more of their time;

• 39 percent would support more charities if they were asked more often; and

• 39 percent would like to support more charities but do not know-how 

The influence of COVID-19 on attitudes towards giving among these Canadians was partially measured by a follow-up survey of two of the groups – Chinese and South Asian – in the original study.

This research found that 30 percent of those surveyed intended to increase their donations in response to the pandemic.

“The face of Canada is changing, and we are entering a transformational period,” says Bobby Sahni, Partner & Co-founder of Ethnicity Matters.

“This study should serve as a call to action for all Canadian CEOs and stakeholders of the sector to understand and capitalize on the importance and generosity of ethnic communities.”

Currently, 1 in 5 Canadians are immigrants and this is projected to grow to 1 in 3 by 2036. Over 320,000 newcomers are arriving in Canada annually, which is projected to surpass one million in the next three years.

“Understanding and engaging with Canada’s growing immigrant mosaic is therefore no longer a luxury – it’s a business imperative for charities and nonprofits. This study acts as a playbook, providing updated and insightful information to charities, foundations and nonprofits looking to maximize opportunities amongst this growing population segment.”

The study was sponsored by Blackbaud, a cloud computing provider that serves the social good community.

 “In order to best serve, we must first listen and learn. The insights elevated within this study will allow for a better understanding and corresponding response to the unique values that exist within our powerful Canadian giving community,” says Allan Hoffmann, President & General Manager, Blackbaud – Canada.

The Multicultural and Newcomer Charitable Giving study was conducted by Ethnicity Matters’ partner agency Cultural IQ - using its CulturaPanel - between February 3 and March 2, 2020, with a stratified sample of 3,130 Canadian residents aged 18 years and over.