Wealthiest Donors Gave 9 Percent of Their Income in 2007, Study Finds

He pointed out, however, that the survey relied on data from a relatively small number of people who were worth more than $5-million, so the numbers may not be significant.

The year 2005 may also have been something of an anomaly for fund raisers, as donors responded in droves to the Asian tsunamis, Hurricane Katrina, and the Pakistan earthquake.

Arts Takes a Hit
Arts groups arguably suffered the most as the very wealthiest donors curbed their giving. Average gifts to the arts from donors in the survey dropped from $16,465 in 2005 (when adjusted for inflation) to $4,792.