A jar of donations sits on a table at United Way of Greater Chattanooga’s Stuff the Bus fundraiser at the Chattanooga Market on Sunday, August 19, 2012.CHATTANOOGA GIVING* $4,094: Median contribution, compared with U.S. median of $2,564* 7.3: Median percentage of income donated to religion and charities, compared with the U.S. average of 4.7 percent* $304.1 million: Total annual contributions in metro Chattanooga out of nearly $136 billion nationwide.* 25th: Chattanooga’s rank among 366 metro areas in the percent of money given to charities.Source: Chronicle of Philanthropy
The average Chattanoogan gives away nearly twice as much of his or her disposable income to charities and religious groups as the typical American.
A new study of tax filings found the average Chattanoogan donated $4,094 to churches and nonprofit agencies in 2008, or $1,530 more than the U.S. average. Collectively, residents in the metropolitan Chattanooga area donated more than $304 million to charities and religious groups, according to IRS filings for the most recent data available.
The study by the Chronicle of Philanthropy released this week found that Chattanoogans, on average, gave away 7.3 percent of their income remaining after purchases for essential items such as housing, child care and food. Nationwide, the typical American donated 4.7 percent of his disposable income to churches and charities.
Fundraising experts credit Chattanooga’s above-average giving to the region’s higher level of church membership and the tradition of community giving and volunteer work.