A new study says Americans have misperceptions regarding charitable giving by women and minorities.

The survey, commissioned by PBS-TV program "To the Contrary" and funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, was released today, May 7. The survey was conducted by political pollsters Celinda Lake and Linda DiVall.

According to the report, a new analysis of Federal Reserve Board data show that women control 51.3 percent of personal wealth in the United States. But the survey accompanying the study shows that three-fourths of Americans believe men to be in control of the country's wealth.

Additional findings from the report show:

• Women, on average, donate twice as much to charity as men do, according to National Science Foundation findings.
• In families with household incomes of $25,000 or more, black women are more likely to give to charity than white women, according to Gallup survey data cited in the report. Also, minorities are asked to give less often than whites, yet minorities are more likely to contribute when asked for a donation.
• Of those surveyed, 85 percent said they had given time or money to charity during the past year, yet Americans often are perceived as selfish.
• While only 5.7 percent of foundation dollars support programs specifically serving women and girls, many Americans believe that a high percentage of private philanthropy goes to serve these programs.