An honest, inclusive approach is crucial in reaching gay donors.

By Paul Barbagallo

According to a 1998 study conducted by the Institute for Gay and Lesbian Strategic Studies — the most recent and frequently cited study of its kind — the average gay donor contributed 2.5 percent ($1,194) of his personal income to charity during the previous year. This finding is slightly more than the 2.2 percent ($1,017) of household income contributed by the average donor in the United States, as found in a late-1990s Independent Sector survey.