Omar Bennett
Political campaigns in the United States are increasingly reliant on donations from individuals, with 71% of Hillary Clinton's fundraising total in the 2016 election cycle coming from individual contributions. While most Americans agree that money has too much influence on politics, a growing number are making political donations. This is especially true of younger, more politically engaged, and higher-income Americans. Donations are often influenced by social media, with 45% of donors reporting that they were motivated to donate after seeing a social media post from the candidate or party. However, the majority of Americans do not believe that their political donations make a difference, and many are concerned about the influence of wealthy donors and dark money groups.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Political engagement | 28% of politically engaged Americans donated during the 2016 campaign, compared to less than 7% of those less engaged. |
| Voting behaviour | 21% of those who always or nearly always vote donated, compared to 4% of those who seldom voted. |
| Party affiliation | 22% of Democrats and Democratic leaners donated in 2016, compared to 10% of Republicans and Republican leaners. |
| Income | 32% of those with family incomes of $150,000 or more donated, compared to 7% of those with incomes below $30,000. |
| Education | 29% of those with a postgraduate degree donated, compared to 7% of those with a high school diploma or less. |
| Age | 32% of those aged 65+ donated, compared to 9% of 18-29-year-olds. |
| Donation amount | 55% donated less than $100, 32% donated between $100 and $250, and 13% donated more than $250. |
| Affordability | 50% of non-donors in 2024 cited affordability as the main reason for not donating. |
| Influence of advertising | 50% of donors in 2024 were influenced by an ad from a candidate or political party. |
| Social media influence | 45% of donors and 49% of younger donors were influenced by social media posts from candidates or parties. |
| Perceived influence of donations | 70% of past donors believe their contributions make a difference, while 83% of all Americans believe money has too much influence on politics. |
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What You'll Learn
- Americans who are more politically engaged are more likely to donate
- Higher-income, more educated, and older Americans are more likely to donate
- Many Americans are influenced by social media and political advertising
- Democrats are more likely to donate than Republicans
- Most Americans agree that money has too much influence in politics
Americans who are more politically engaged are more likely to donate
A survey conducted by LendingTree in 2020 revealed that younger Americans were more likely to contribute to political campaigns, with 49% of Gen Zers and 41% of millennials planning to do so, compared to 37% of Gen Xers and 25% of baby boomers. However, by 2024, the gap between generations had widened further, with 43% of Gen Zers and 33% of millennials intending to donate, compared to just 17% of Gen Xers and 14% of baby boomers. This trend may be influenced by social media, as 45% of donors reported being motivated to contribute after seeing a social media post from the candidate or party.
Income and education levels also play a role in donation behaviour. A 2016 Pew Research Center survey found that 32% of those with family incomes of $150,000 or more made political donations, while only 7% of those with incomes below $30,000 did the same. Education is strongly associated with donation likelihood, with 29% of those holding a postgraduate degree reporting donations, compared to 7% of those with a high school diploma or less.
Overall, while Americans are increasingly likely to make political donations, with the share of adults who donated doubling from 6% in 1992 to 12% in 2016, according to American National Election Studies (ANES), there are still significant variations in donation rates based on age, income, education, and political engagement.
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Higher-income, more educated, and older Americans are more likely to donate
Americans are increasingly likely to make political donations, with the share of adults who say they have donated directly to candidates doubling since 1992, according to data from the American National Election Studies (ANES). In the 2016 election cycle, individual contributions represented a large share of campaign funding: 71% of Hillary Clinton's fundraising total and 40% of Donald Trump's came from individual contributions.
Higher-income Americans are more likely to donate to political campaigns. According to the fall 2016 Pew Research Center survey, nearly a third (32%) of those with family incomes of $150,000 or more said they made a political donation, compared to just 7% of those with family incomes of less than $30,000. Those with higher incomes also tend to donate larger amounts. Among those who donated, 27% of those with family incomes of $150,000 or more contributed more than $250, while 16% of contributors with incomes between $75,000 and $150,000 gave at least $250.
Education is another factor strongly associated with an individual's likelihood of donating to a political campaign. The 2016 Pew Research Center survey found that 29% of those with a postgraduate degree reported making a political donation, compared to 7% of those with a high school diploma or less education. The share decreases to 24% among those with a college degree.
Older Americans are also more likely to donate than younger Americans. The average donation rate for those ages 18 to 29 is 9%, while it increases to 12% for those 30 to 49, 14% for those 50 to 64, and 32% for those 65 and older.
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Many Americans are influenced by social media and political advertising
Social media and political advertising have become increasingly influential in American political campaigns. A LendingTree survey from 2024 found that 45% of donors had contributed to a political campaign after seeing a social media post from the candidate or party asking them to do so. This influence is particularly pronounced among younger generations, with 76% of Gen Zers reporting that they were spurred to action by a candidate or political party ad, compared to 59% of millennials, 38% of Gen Xers, and 21% of baby boomers.
Gen Zers are the most likely generation to be influenced by social media and political advertising, with nearly 4 in 10 (38%) donating to a political campaign in the past, followed by millennials (33%), Gen Xers (21%), and baby boomers (14%). This trend is also reflected in the intention to donate, with 43% of Gen Zers and 33% of millennials planning to donate in 2024, compared to lower percentages for Gen Xers and baby boomers.
The influence of social media and political advertising on donation behaviour is further highlighted by the finding that 49% of consumers who have donated before shared their donation on social media to influence others. This indicates that social media platforms provide a space for donors to engage with their social networks and potentially shape political donation behaviours within their communities.
While social media and political advertising play a significant role in influencing Americans to donate to political campaigns, it is important to consider other factors as well. Income, education, age, and political engagement are also key determinants of donation behaviour. Higher-income and more educated Americans are more likely to donate, with income levels being a strong indicator of donation amounts. Older Americans are more likely to contribute than younger Americans, and those who are politically engaged and follow government affairs are more inclined to donate.
In conclusion, while social media and political advertising have a substantial influence on Americans' donation behaviour, it is essential to recognise the interplay of various factors that collectively shape individuals' decisions to contribute to political campaigns.
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Democrats are more likely to donate than Republicans
Americans are increasingly likely to make political donations, with the share of adults who say they have donated directly to candidates doubling from 6% in 1992 to 12% in 2016. In the 2016 election cycle, individual contributions made up a large portion of campaign funding: 71% of Hillary Clinton's fundraising total and 40% of Donald Trump's.
During the 2016 campaign, politically engaged Americans were much more likely to make political donations. 28% of those who followed government and public affairs most of the time reported donating, compared with less than 7% of those who followed some of the time or less often. Among those who said they always or nearly always voted, 21% said they had made a donation, compared with 4% of those who seldom or only partially voted.
Democrats were twice as likely as Republicans to say they donated in 2016, with 22% of Democrats and Democratic leaners reporting making a donation, compared to 10% of Republicans and Republican leaners. This partisan gap in giving is also reflected in charitable donations, with several studies showing that Republicans and conservatives donate more to charity than Democrats and liberals. However, this difference is relatively small, with Republicans and conservatives reporting donating between $60 and $160 more per year.
There are several possible explanations for the disparity in donation behaviour between Democrats and Republicans. One factor could be the religious composition of the parties, as Republicans are, on average, more religious than Democrats. Republicans donate more to their own religious congregations, and religious people tend to give generously to their congregations. However, Democrats donate more to non-religious organisations. Additionally, higher-income, more educated, and older Americans are more likely to donate, and these demographic factors may contribute to the disparity in donation rates between the two parties.
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Most Americans agree that money has too much influence in politics
Americans are increasingly likely to make political donations, with the share of adults who say they have donated directly to candidates doubling from 6% in 1992 to 12% in 2016. However, most Americans agree that money has too much influence in politics.
A large share of the public sees political campaigns as too costly, elected officials as too responsive to donors and special interests, and members of Congress as unable or unwilling to separate their financial interests from their work as public servants. In a survey, 11% of Americans volunteered that the biggest problem with elected officials is that they are too influenced by money in politics, with an additional 9% describing them as corrupt.
References to the influence of money and concerns about corruption are some of the most frequently cited critiques of the political system, and many Americans see monetary gain as a primary motivator for most elected officials. An overwhelming majority of Americans (72%) believe that there should be limits on the amount of money individuals and organizations can spend on political campaigns.
Liberal Democrats are particularly likely to say it is possible to have laws that would reduce the role of money in politics, with 76% agreeing, compared to 57% of conservative or moderate Democrats and 52% of Republicans. Overall, nearly six in ten Americans (58%) believe it is possible to have laws that would effectively reduce the role of money in politics, while 21% say it is not possible, and 20% are unsure.
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Frequently asked questions
Americans who are more politically engaged are more likely to donate. In the 2016 campaign, 28% of those who followed government and public affairs most of the time donated, compared to less than 7% of those who followed some of the time or less often.
Most Americans donate less than $100. 55% of donors reported giving less than $100, 32% between $100 and $250, and 13% more than $250.
Younger Americans are more likely to donate via social media. 45% of those who have donated did so after seeing a social media post from the candidate or party asking them to, and 49% of those donors then shared their donation on social media to influence others.
71% of Americans have never donated to a political campaign. Of the 29% who have, 13% donated in the past year.
