Money and education, not geography, influence why people give to charity, says a new study by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.

The study, based on data from 10,000 households, found that people who make at least $100,000 a year are more likely to give because of an obligation to help others less fortunate, or a desire to improve the towns and cities in which they live.

Donors who earn between $50,000 and $100,000 are motivated more by a wish to “make the world better,” while those who make less than $50,000 give to “help basic needs” or to “help the poor help themselves.”

People without a college education more often cite a desire to meet basic needs as a reason for giving than do their more-educated peers.

Researchers who conducted the study tested whether people from southern states were motivated by “collectivist” values, such as helping those most like oneself.

They also sought to discern whether those from “individualistic” Midwestern, Western, and Mountain states were influenced by personal interests.

But they found that slight differences in motivation based on geography could be explained by regional differences in wealth and education levels, not values specific to a region.

The study, “Understanding Donors’ Motivations 2009,” was paid for by CCS, a fund-raising, consulting, and management company.