Studies indicate that during the 20 years from 1970 to 1991, contributions rose from $797 million to $6 billion. Charitable giving also tends to rise during particular times of the year such as at the Christmas holiday period. Experts point out that the reasons for this generosity range from altruism to practical self-interest and include the following:
- To seek to improve the quality of life in a specific geographic region;
- To ensure a steady supply of future employees from within the community;
- To maintain a favorable corporate perception in the eyes of both employees and customers;
- To qualify for tax advantages by contributing to organizations that are registered with the IRS;
- To enhance a corporate image and influence the opinions of legislators.
Those who assess these trends predict that corporate contributions, which have maintained a level of 1.7 - 1.9 percent of pre-tax income over the last ten years, will continue at this rate.