Americans are generous in their charitable giving during Covid-19, but how they donate changed

As Covid-19 descended>Covid-19 is an 'enduring crisis' 

Not everyone was able to give more. People 65 and older were less likely to engage in giving in relation to coronavirus than younger people, according to the report. And that's unusual, Tessa Skidmore, a research associate at WPI and co-author of the report, tells CNBC Make It, noting that older people typically give more.

But the uniqueness of the pandemic and ensuing economic fallout changed the calculation for older Americans. Not data-test="Pullquote">This is an enduring crisis, as opposed to a one-hit disaster. There isn't a stop and an end ... the scale of this is unprecedented.Jeannie SagerDirector, Women's Philanthropy Institute

Still, Sager is optimistic about the future of philanthropy, though she also notes that the report is incomplete. Just after respondents were surveyed, Black Lives Matter protests started across the country, including calls for charitable donations to bail funds and social justice organizations and support of Black-owned businesses. The presidential election is also in full-swing, and wildfires are raging across the western U.S. All of these events will complicate the full picture of 2020 and how people prioritize charity during the pandemic. 

"This is an enduring crisis, as opposed to a one-hit disaster," says Sager. "There isn't a stop and an end ... the scale of this is unprecedented."