Civic engagement – including volunteering and voter registration – relatively than religiosity were more necessary correlates with donations from Muslim AmericansAccording to research we conducted along with our colleagues at Muslim Philanthropy Initiative.
All Muslims are required to provide Zakat, an obligatory type of giving. To fulfill this obligation, Muslims must donate 2.5% of their surplus wealth to charity annually.
We found that 87% of all Zakat donations from Muslim American women got here from registered voters. That is greater than the Percentage of Muslim American women who’re eligible to vote to run for election, which in response to a 2017 poll is 82%.
We also found that Muslim women who’re registered to vote are 15 times more prone to volunteer than other Muslim women. And we found that about 61% of Muslim American women who reported volunteering made nearly 94% of the entire zakat contributions that participants on this study reported making in 2022.
The initiative, based at Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, also found that the highest three motivators for Muslim women living within the United States to donate to charity or engage in other types of generosity are compassion for those in need, a way that their donations are making a difference and a belief that it is a component of their religious duty.
The data for this study were collected by Solutions for social science researcha non-public company specializing in survey research within the United States. It recruited 3,355 adults to take part in the survey between February and April 2023, which included a representative sample of Muslim American women.
Why it is crucial
Our findings show that nonprofits which can be eligible to receive Zakat funds but don’t engage with Muslim women in America are losing helpful financial and volunteer resources for his or her mission.
This study complements previous findings about how volunteering, giving, and civic engagement are positively correlated. We consider it is crucial for nonprofit leaders to construct strong relationships with their volunteers as a part of their fundraising strategy.
What's next
The Muslim Philanthropy Initiative is currently conducting additional research by conducting surveys and focus groups to achieve a more comprehensive picture of how Muslim women give to charity and volunteer. In this next phase, we seek to discover what causes Muslim women most support through their charitable giving and volunteerism.
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