Three out of four U.S. adults say the “current economic climate” has affected their charitable giving and one in three are giving less to charities, according to a new Child Sponsorship Survey just released by World Vision, an international Christian relief and development organization.

Most of those polled say faith-based organizations (67 percent) and nonprofit foundations (63 percent) should bear responsibility for helping the world’s poor.

According to the study, one in five adults say they’re now less likely to sponsor a child because of the economy and 54 percent say they would be more likely to sponsor a child if they had more money. Ten percent say they’re actually giving more this year, despite the recession.

Still, World Vision Child Sponsorship numbers show a modest increase (3 percent). Revenue forecast is for 8 percent growth in 2009 but private cash donations are expected to be down 3 percent from 2008.

The survey, conducted by Harris Interactive, represents a definite shift in the charitable mood Americans were in less than a year ago. In late October 2008, seven out of 10 Americans said that although the worsening economy meant they probably would spend less on holiday shopping, half said they were more inclined to give or receive a charitable gift for the holidays.