Global philanthropy: Does institutional context matter for charitable giving?

This paper investigates the influence of institutional context on individuals' charitable giving behaviors globally. It posits that both the propensity to give and the amounts donated are higher in countries with robust institutional frameworks for philanthropy, encompassing regulatory, legislative, professional, and social aspects. While aggregate giving levels are indeed higher in institutionalized countries, multi-level analyses across 19 countries show limited support for direct causal relationships, underscoring the need for improved comparative data to better understand these complex dynamics.