Try the new, interactive platform “Generosity For Life”

What does the term “philanthropist” mean? Would you consider yourself to be one? What factors influence how and when people give, whether that means volunteering time or donating money?

These are the key questions addressed by a new, interactive, online platform from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy called Generosity For Life. GenerosityForLife.org makes a compelling case that everyone can be a philanthropist.

GenerosityForLife.org, which was made possible through the generous support of the John Templeton Foundation, is a new, interactive, online platform and unparalleled resource on charitable giving and volunteering in America. It tells the story of American generosity and offers a multifaceted look at giving by American individuals and families.

The platform includes customizable visualizations of data on giving collected through the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy’s Philanthropy Panel Study (PPS). Following the same 9,000 households throughout their lives, the PPS tracks giving, volunteering and factors that influence philanthropic practices across generations—making it the leading and most accurate resource for measuring generational giving and volunteering in the United States.

Today more than ever, we need a rich and nuanced understanding of generosity. Why do Americans give? How much, and when? What factors contribute to, or inhibit, generosity? Generosity For Life sets the stage for your further exploration of these vital questions by packaging the data from the PPS study in an accessible and digestible way. The result is a rich philanthropic landscape that deepens understanding of American giving, lays the groundwork for greater altruism and will inspire a new generation of philanthropists.

Please check out the new website and share these interactive resources with your friends and networks!

• Give-O-Meter: Take a quiz that compares your giving and volunteering habits to those of your peers, and identify new areas for growth.
• Generosity Maps: Compare how people give and volunteer across the country via illustrated maps of the United States. Filter the data via several lenses, including geographic region, type of charity supported, age and income.
• Generosity Reports: Build a detailed charitable profile of giving and volunteering trends in the U.S., customizable by type of giving and geographic area.