View All Pages

Annie Becker

photo of Elizabeth Tower, London

Welcome!

My name is Annie Becker and I am a graduate student in the Master of Nonprofit Leadership program at Seattle University. This spring I am doing a research project titled How Culture, Taxation, and Social Welfare Programs Shape Charitable Giving in England. I chose this topic because I am interested in the motivations for charitable giving in England and how they compare and contrast to those in the United States. 

 

What is the purpose of the study?

I launched this study to get a better understanding of how or if England's culture, higher tax rate, the existence of universal healthcare, and a more robust and accessible public housing program than exists in the U.S. shapes how, where, if, and how much the English give to charity. 

For example, we know that: 

- The U.K.'s VAT is approximately 2-3 times the average sales tax rate in the United States (our national state average is 7.12%)

- Income tax structures are very different especially when it comes to charitable giving/deductions

- Unlike the U.S., England has a publicly funded healthcare system 

- England has a more robust and more widely accessible social/public housing program than the U.S.

I am interested in learning more about English cultural attitudes around philanthropy and charitable giving and what your experiences and knowledge can tell me about the effects of taxes and social welfare programs on donors' ability and willingness to give charitably, and the causes, both nationally and internationally, people tend to give to. 

 

Who are you interviewing?

For this study, I am interviewing employees of charities (specifically those working in fundraising), foundations and/or trusts, academia, and other financial organizations (for example, tax advisors and donor advised funds). I hope to interview 8-12 individuals.

 

What is the format of the interviews?

I am inviting you to participate in a 45-minute interview. All interviews will take place remotely via Zoom. You will have the choice to participate in a video call, or to call in by phone.

During our conversation, some of the questions I will be asking you:

  • Why do you think Americans give more to charity on average than the English?
  • Do you think the UK’s relatively high income tax and VAT rates have anything to do with that?
  • What affect, if any, do you think the existence of social housing and social health have on British motivations to give charitably? Are they less inclined because of the individual expense from taxation, or more inclined because of the security those programs provide?
  • What do you think the US could learn from England’s current system?
  • What are your thoughts on foundations, charitable trusts, and the rise of donor advised funds?
  • What are your concerns about England’s current system? What is working and what isn’t working?
  • What are your concerns about the US’s current system? What is working and what isn’t working

There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, or desirable or undesirable answers. I would like you to feel comfortable telling me what you really think.

 

How do I sign up?

You can sign up for an interview using this link: https://calendly.com/anniebecker/annie-becker-interview Links to an external site. 

I look forward to our conversation.

 

How will you ensure privacy during the study?

All of the information you provide will be kept confidential and your name will not be used in any public dissemination of the data I collect.

This study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Seattle University, and is guided by the principles outlined by the IRB for the protection of human subjects.

You can read more information and access the informed consent form here: Download A. Becker - Informed Consent Doc-1.docx

  

 

What will you do with the information you gather?

I will be writing up the results of the study and presenting the results at the MNPL Capstone Festival on Saturday, 5 June. I believe that this research will provide greater understanding of the differences in motivations for giving between the U.S. and England and how the U.S. could benefit and improve from this knowledge. 

I will also share the results of our research with you and the other participants. My hope is that the results are useful to you as you plan your future work.

 

For more information:

I can be reached by email at beckera4@seattleu.edu. If you would like more information about the MNPL capstone projects, you can also contact Professor Feit at feitm@seattleu.edu.

 

Thank you

I know that your time is valuable and I am grateful for your willingness to share your experiences and insights with me.