We’ve long known that older women control the majority of philanthropic giving, probably because they live longer than men, but also because husbands often defer to their wives’ opinions.

Interestingly, the recent Women Give 2014 report by the Indiana University Women’s Philanthropy Institute of the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy proves that younger women give more generously than we previously believed. In fact, younger women who are not affiliated with a specific religion donate twice as much as younger men and older women.

It’s an interesting conclusion and stems from the reality that fewer young Americans are affiliating with organized religion; in fact, one-third of Americans under 30 have no religious affiliation. While religiosity has frequently been tied to giving, the report argues that there’s no reason for concern. Women Give 2014 encouraging results include:

In an important shift in patterns, the standard religiosity-giving story does not apply to younger single women who are religiously unaffiliated – the “Nones.” Younger single women who are Nones give roughly two times larger amounts to charitable organizations than women who are affiliated but who infrequently attend religious services.

The study also shows additional finding regarding these younger single women “Nones”:

give roughly two times larger amounts to Not-religiously identified organizations (NRIOs) than they do to religiously identified organizations.

give roughly two times larger amounts to charitable organizations than do young men.

give more than two and a half times larger amounts to charity than middle-age and older women who are Nones.

The Women Give 2014 report affirms again, as it did in past years, that gender and age do indeed matter in charitable giving. It suggests that nuanced fundraising strategies which build strong relationships with both men and women and demonstrate that their goals and approaches are relevant to those different audiences will help assure that resources continue to be available to meet society’s challenges.

Have you observed this in your organizations or among friends and family? Please share your thoughts. Please also read my past blog on The 5 P’s of Effective Philanthropy.