Report helps charities keep their finger on the pulse [THE LATEST QUARTERLY research report
from digital fundraising platform Enthuse examines trends in donating among the UK public following the COVID pandemic. The Donor Pulse Report: Spring 2021 looked at how people donate and their attitude to fundraising events as the lockdown eases. An encouraging result of the research is the finding that donating among the public is stabilising, following a fall during the first lockdown. There has even been a rise in the numbers donating to charities dealing with poverty – from 21% to 27% of donors. Younger people are more likely to donate, with 18 to 24-year-olds most likely. That change in giving patterns is mirrored by an improvement in the perception of charities, with 35% of people having a more positive view. On the issue of participation in fundraising events, the research found a distinct divergence among age groups, with the under-40s far more likely to participate in both physical and virtual fundraising events. The type of event is also important, with 40% of all supporters preferring a ‘fun-type’ event. Another major shift, and again one that is no surprise, is the move away from cash to online giving – a change that has been steady over the past year. Only 17% of people made a cash donation in February, while 40% have not donated cash since before the pandemic. Over half of people preferred online as their method of donating.
The report’s authors predict that the move away from cash, evident from before the pandemic, is likely to be permanent. A more surprising finding was an increasing preference for donating to charities’ own websites, rather than via consumer giving platforms. That increase has been matched by an increased likelihood of the donor being able to recall the charity’s name after donating. The report concludes: “There is a lot to think about with the return of events, and a balance to achieve for charities communicating ‘having fun’ and ’staying safe’, to appeal to ‘play safe’ and ‘fun seeking’ supporters. The longer-term shift to digital giving continues with the public moving away from cash to digital in all formats, and donating more directly to causes. This continues to be a challenging time for charities, but there are the beginnings of solidity which should help, particularly when combined with the loosening of lockdown restrictions. Charities need to continue to be agile and put digital at the heart of their fundraising planning.” • Donor Pulse Report – Spring 2021 is the third in a series of quarterly research papers looking at the public’s changing attitudes to charities and giving published by Enthuse – the fundraising, donations and events registration platform. It can be downloaded for free from enthuse.com/insights/. q
This sanctuary helps donkeys from Britain, Europe and beyond [ESTABLISHED IN 1990, NEDDI offers care and safety to donkeys –
and to a lesser degree, ponies – in Britain and Europe who have suffered neglect, cruelty or maltreatment or who are at risk of such treatment. In addition to rescuing such animals from undesirable situations, within the financial and practical constraints prevailing at the time, they work to try to change attitudes and to educate donkey owners into better practices. For example, since 2016 they have been assisting associates in Kenya to achieve those aims for the working animals there. Since its establishment in Cornwall, NEDDI has operated a sanctuary specifically for distressed donkeys. In 2001 the sanctuary moved to just the other side of the channel, where the resident donkeys enjoy more space and pasture than would otherwise have been possible. Its policy is to try to offer actual, hands-on help to the animals in need, and to restore them to the maximum possible degree of fitness. Once brought back to full health, new homes are sometimes sought for the fit animals. Where full health cannot be achieved a safe home is offered to the donkey for the duration of its life. NEDDI is a comparatively small organisation with limited resources, and relies heavily on support from animal-lovers. A bequest will enable more donkeys to be freed from pain and misery. q
21 21
