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Charitable donations to natural disasters: evidence from an online platform

Author

Listed:
  • Rajshri Jayaraman
  • Michael Kaiser
  • Marrit Teirlinck

Abstract

We investigate the demand and supply of charitable donations to natural disasters on a large online platform. We document that the bulk of charitable donations goes to a tiny fraction of natural disasters, which tend to be severe disasters that receive media coverage. Charities do not fundraise for the remaining 96% of disasters, which account for 80% of casualties. Using an event study-type design to explore temporal patterns in charitable donations, we find that fundraising and giving for disaster relief occur in a timely fashion, but that both are effectively absent for disasters that occur within a 2-month window of large disasters which have attracted massive funding. We also find no evidence that donations to disasters crowd out those to other charitable causes.

Suggested Citation

  • Rajshri Jayaraman & Michael Kaiser & Marrit Teirlinck, 2023. "Charitable donations to natural disasters: evidence from an online platform," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 75(4), pages 902-922.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:oxecpp:v:75:y:2023:i:4:p:902-922.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/oep/gpad029
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H84 - Public Economics - - Miscellaneous Issues - - - Disaster Aid
    • N31 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - U.S.; Canada: Pre-1913

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