How Much Austrians Donated Last Year

The Fundraising Association Austria cited inflation, recession, and a growing number of crisis hotspots as reasons on Wednesday. The proportion of donors in society (79 percent) is at a record high.

The flood disaster in eastern Austria in 2024 particularly influenced the donation volume. Environmental and animal protection purposes also saw an increase. Support for development cooperation continued to lose significance. According to the umbrella organization of donation organizations, this endangers life-saving projects.

Continuous Growth in Donations Between 2008 and 2022

Between 2008 and 2022, the domestic donation sector was able to raise more money each year continuously. According to a press release, the volume increased from 360 million euros to the previous high of 1.1 billion euros in 2022. A turning point occurred in 2023. "The main reasons were the declining support for Ukraine aid, economic stagnation, and record inflation," said the Fundraising Association. Nevertheless, the donation volume remained at a very high level.

"The analysis of the past donation year underscores the great resilience of the local donation sector, which is supported by 82 percent of private households. Despite comprehensive societal challenges, people living in Austria have hardly made any cuts in supporting charitable causes - a testament to the great appreciation for charitable work," said Ruth Williams, Managing Director of the Fundraising Association Austria.

More and More People Are Donating Money

According to a survey by Public Opinion among 1,000 people, it also shows that the proportion of donors in the population, unlike in many other countries, is not only consistently high but even increased in 2024. Overall, 70 percent of people in this country stated that they donated last year. Residents of the western federal states of Salzburg, Tyrol, and Vorarlberg were particularly generous (88 percent), while people from Upper Austria opened their wallets the least frequently. The amount of individual donations was also clearly higher in the west at 202 euros per person compared to Vienna with 119 euros or Burgenland and Lower Austria with 109 euros.

The good overall volume in Austria is primarily due to the many individual contributions (81 percent) under 200 euros. Only 2.6 percent donated over 1,000 euros.

(APA/Red)

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