Generosity is deeply engrained in the Swiss DNA and the Swiss Abroad are no different. A survey conducted by gfs.bern for the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) and mediating body Swiss Philanthropy Foundation (SPF) shows that over 90% of the Swiss Abroad make charitable donations.
A total of 2,583 Swiss Abroad living in 123 countries worldwide took part in this survey between 26 June and 26 July 2023. More than half of them regularly donate between 50 and 499 Swiss francs in support of different causes; the average donation in Swiss households is 350 francs.
Three-quarters of respondents said they considered philanthropy important. Among the main drivers of this generosity are knowing exactly where the funds are going and how those funds will make a difference. Solidarity is another major motivating factor in people deciding to make charitable donations. The survey also shows how people from families with a tradition of giving are more likely to donate, emphasising the importance of preserving philanthropy through the generations. The main causes supported by the Swiss Abroad are combating poverty and supporting development, followed by health, the environment and education.
The OSA commissioned this survey to determine whether charitable giving, like the exercise of political rights, is a means of staying connected to Switzerland. The results showed that only 13 percent of Swiss Abroad make donations in Switzerland and that a mere 9 percent have already made provisions for legacies in their will. So, although there is still work to be done, avenues are also in place to promote the philanthropy of the Swiss Abroad in Switzerland.
SPF, as the mediating foundation, works with donors living in and outside Switzerland on a daily basis. One of SPF’s main objectives is to give more support to the philanthropy of the Swiss Abroad, particularly through providing solutions to structure their donations in a framework of good governance, for example by creating sheltered funds where people can donate during their lifetime as well as through their estate. The cross-border donation network Transnational Giving Europe also facilitates donations to Switzerland from Europe.
For more information:
Link to the report in German or French: revue.link/philantropy
Swiss Philanthropy Foundation: swissphilanthropy.ch
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