Sense of Community’s Impact on Philanthropic and Civic Behaviors

Abstract

Social bonds serve dual individual and communal goals as indicators of life satisfaction and capital for communities seeking to address collective challenges. In this article, we explore social bonds through an individual’s sense of community and length of residence on philanthropic and civic behaviors. Specifically, we assess how sense of community influences: (1) donative and volunteering behavior in secular and religious nonprofits and (2) voting behavior in an upcoming election. Findings indicate sense of community and length of residence are associated with philanthropic and civic engagement, particularly secular volunteering and voting. The curvilinear effects of sense of community on philanthropic engagement offers useful insights for managers considering where to target their efforts, and, as importantly, where managers may see diminishing returns. For example, recruitment efforts targeting residents newer to a community – rather than longer-residing residents – are more likely to yield increases in secular volunteering, especially as newcomers build their sense of community.