Manitobans like to consider themselves collectively a generous group and new data from an online crowdfunding outlet seem to back that up.

Figures from GoFundMe.com, the leader in online fundraising campaigns, show Manitobans have donated more than $6 million to campaigns through the website in less than three years.

Rob Solomon, the CEO of GoFundMe, said not only do Manitoba’s numbers stand tall among other Canadian provinces, but also globally.

“What’s really unique about Manitoba is the average donation size is close to 20% larger than the rest of Canada,” Solomon said in an interview from Redwood City, Calif. “So that’s an exciting trend. Folks in Manitoba seem to be a bit more generous than our average in the U.S. and the average in other Canadian cities.

“... The average donation from people in Manitoba is quite a bit higher than the average donation on the global platform, so definitely a very generous audience.”

Manitobans donated $6.1 million to campaigns in the province since the service became available here in late 2014.

In Winnipeg, donations totalling $3.3 million were contributed to campaigns in the city.

Solomon said the average donation from Manitoba is $82, above the national average. In total donations, Manitoba ranks behind Ontario, B.C., Alberta, Quebec and Saskatchewan.

Solomon $3 billion has gone through GoFundMe via 30 million donors, with two million donors in Canada.

“It’s a reaction people have when people need help,” Solomon said.

Solomon said GoFundMe has embedded itself in the social media “vernacular” similar to how Google, Yelp and Uber have become synonymous with their respective services.

“When there’s an emergency that happens anywhere in the world now you see that action of starting a GoFundMe being the first thing that people do,” he said.

“... It’s become a bit of a thing now where when a need arises you start a GoFundMe and that happens everywhere. It’s small towns, it’s big cities, it’s global in nature now. It really has spread almost everywhere.”

dlarkins@postmedia.com

Twitter: @LarkinsWSun

FUND FACTS

* Total donation volume to campaigns in Manitoba: $6.1M

* Total donation volume from people in Manitoba: $5.4M

* Total donation volume to campaigns in Winnipeg: 3.3M

* Total donation volume from people in Winnipeg: $3M

* Top 5 cities for donation volume in Manitoba: 1) Winnipeg 2) Brandon 3) Steinbach 4) Elie 5) Thompson

Source: GoFundMe.com