French philanthropy. In 2019, the generosity of the French started to rise again. According to figures from the France Générités union, donations increased by 3.5% * over one year. This does not reflect a surge of kindness in the country, but a simple return to normal, or almost. In 2018, these donations had indeed dropped sharply, by 4.8%.
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" There is a resumption of generosity but it does not at all compensate for the drop due exclusively to tax transformations of 2018, " France generosity explains to Le Figaro . The year 2018 had indeed been marked by " many tax reforms ", recalls the union, such as the transformation of the ISF, the increase in the CSG or the introduction of the withholding tax. So many reforms that had created a climate of uncertainty, decrypts the union, leading to the reduction of donations in France. " The increase in the CSG for retirees who are the main donors " was an important factor in this decrease, details France generosités.
Spread back on the rise, donations are therefore returning to their 2016 level. In detail, it is not the number of donors that is climbing. On the contrary. Between 2009 and 2019, the number of new donors fell by 15%, according to France generosités. It is therefore on the evolution of the amounts that makes the difference. For example, the share of major donors has increased fivefold in 15 years, notes France Générités. " For years, donors have been loyal and increasing their average donation ," said the union. Thus, in 2019, donations of more than 10,000 euros represented 10.8% of the amount of donations received, compared to 8.3% in 2013. At the same time, donations of less than 150 euros, if they remain very large, no longer represent only 45.5% of all donations, up from 70% 15 years ago.
Generally, the French focus their generosity on the end of the year. 40.3% of donations are made in the last quarter, notes France generosités. Donations which, in recent years, have been done more and more online. 12% of these are actually made on the internet.
Recommendations to the government
If 2019 ended better than the previous year in terms of donations, 2020 will also be very interesting to analyze. Because the health crisis could strongly influence donations, upwards or downwards. In late May, the international fundraising campaign to finance international research on tests, treatments and vaccines against the coronavirus reached nearly 10 billion euros. " There have been 'over-projects' ", continues France generosités. The union does not fail to alert to the fact that all donations must not relate only to research around the Covid. Donations for cancer research, for example, decreased in the first half of the year. France generosités would therefore like to see this “ surge of generosity ” continue, because foundations and associations generally receive donations at the end of the year. On the other hand, looming economic uncertainty could deter some donors.
To " develop generosity in France ", the union therefore submits three ideas to the government. The first would be to increase “ until December 31 the tax reduction rate, from 66% to 75% of the amount of the payments within the limit of a unit amount of 1000 euros. In short, this was the measure that had been taken to support the momentum of generosity that followed the fire of Notre-Dame de Paris.
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If this concerns donors subject to income tax, France Générites also looks at those who are not. The union here offers a tax credit on the CSG equal to 75% of donations. The idea here is not to increase the number of donors but to increase the size of the donations. “ We never make a donation for the tax reduction, it is not the driving force, but the tax reduction can change the amount of the donation. It is a booster of individual generosity ”, estimates France generosités. Finally, the union mentions the possibility of giving RTTs for the benefit of employees carrying out voluntary activities. In France, according to Bercy, one in seven tax households declares a donation in their tax form.
* These figures are calculated on a panel of 46 associations and foundations, such as the Secours populaire or Action Against Hunger, for example.