Digital philanthropy: Can you spare a text? | The Economist

Digital philanthropy: Can you spare a text? | The Economist: The sluggish economy probably has something to do with it. But another explanation is that charity has failed to keep up with technological change. Richard Harrison, head of research at CAF, says the charitable sector is stuck in the 1990s, or even the 1980s. More than half of personal donations are of cash (by volume, not value). Online giving accounts for a scant 7% of gifts, and just 1% arrive by text message. As a result, charity is ageing. The proportion of all donations coming from people under the age of 30 has fallen from 8% to 3% since 1980.