Compelled to Give

Churches were selected most likely to receive one of the top gifts from older black donors, with more than half (55 percent) giving to a local church or religious appeal. According to Felinda Mottino and Eugene Miller, authors of “Philanthropy Among African-American Donors in the New York Metropolitan Region: A Generational Analysis,” one of a selection of articles compiled in the book “Exploring Black Philanthropy” edited by Patrick Rooney and Lois Sherman, which summarizes the project’s finding, “Many African-Americans made it clear they see the church not only as a religious and spiritual place but also as a center for community development.”