- The number of people giving is going down: There might be £10.1 billion in the bank, but the number of people giving to charity in the last 12 months has fallen for the third year in a row (from 69% in 2016 to 65% in 2018).
- Averages are going up: this means giving totals are being sustained by a smaller number of high-value donations, with the average gift now sitting £45 (compared to £40 in 2016). A good sign, but not necessarily a sustainable strategy.
- Trust is low: It’s hardly surprising given the press, but the fact is that less than half of the UK public (48%) believe charities to be trustworthy. Down from 51% in 2017, those headlines have taken their toll - and it’s showing in the numbers.
As a post-Brexit future takes shape, charities have an important role to play. So too does their giving public. As ever, the CAF report reveals some interesting trends in this regard:
- We might live in a digital world, but cash is still the most common way of giving. In fact, you might be surprised to learn that website and/or app-based donations are sixth in-line.
- 28% of people give regularly (weekly or monthly) but most give on an ad hoc basis.
- Women and older people are the most likely to give, although engagement type varies by age - with younger people more likely to volunteer, buy ethical products, sign petitions and join protests.
- Religious organisations get the lion’s share of the money (19%), followed by overseas aid (11%), medical research (10%), children and young people (9%) – is this the order you expected?
It’s interesting stuff, and as you scroll the pages there are two key messages we’d like you to take home. The first is that giving is just that: a gift. The UK might have a strong philanthropic tradition, but that doesn’t mean it should be taken for granted. Philanthropy is not spontaneous. If the sector is going to sustain current
giving levels, these headline trends need to be seen as inspiration to get to know your own. That leads on to our second takeaway. Don’t risk running a fundraising strategy based on assumptions. Use your data. Invest in a research-led future that will help you grow a database of long-term, engaged supporters. Inspire their gift and be the charity they trust to make a difference.
Speak to one of our Not for profit specialists to find out how you can use Access Charity CRM to meet you fundraising targets and stay ahead of the trends.