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Those giving to you have a “type”

People give in a variety of ways, some of which differ strongly and some of which overlap at odd junctions.

In their book “American Generosity,” Patricia Snell Herzog and Heather E. Price break giving down into nine forms of generosity and then look at how different types of donors support the forms.

The forms are: Donating money; Volunteering; Political action; Lending possessions; Donating organs; Donating blood; Sustainability; Estate giving; and,

Relational giving.

Planned Givers have the highest participation rates for seven of the nine forms. Their relational giving (i.e., giving attention, or spending time with family, friends or neighbors) is near the national average.

Atypical Givers have the lowest participation rates in all generosity forms except political action.

The participation of Habitual Givers varies by the form of giving. For example, they participate more than planned givers in donating money, and relationally give at high rates.

The participation of Selective Givers varies by form of giving. Selective givers politically act, lend possessions, live sustainable and donate their estate at high rates among the giver types.

Impulse donors often have low giving participation, but there are several exceptions: lending possessions and donating organs, in which they give at high rates.