MAJOR CAMPAIGNERS LEAD TO RISE IN DONATIONS FOR 2022

[FIGURES FROM BLACKBAUD UK, the cloud-based computing provider for charities, show that income for UK charities is trending up, with overall giving up 4.2% in 2022. The figure is based on fundraising data gathered from Blackbaud customers.

The company’s UK Giving Focus draws on information from a cross section of experts ranging from Dan Fluskey, director of policy and communications at the Chartered Institute of Fundraising, to Pascale Harvie, senior vice president at JustGiving.

In his foreword to the document, Dan Fluskey writes: “As we look ahead to 2023 (and beyond) there are many reasons to tread with caution as we move forward. The cost of living and economic situation will always dominate the big picture for us – charitable giving does not happen in a bubble.

“But I also believe that it doesn’t definitively predetermine how fundraising will perform. The choices made on strategic investment in our fundraising teams, capacity and skills are likely to have a much more significant impact on performance over time, and the importance of organisations giving fundraisers the same professional respect, recognition and support should not be underestimated.”

The crisis in Ukraine was a key driver in the first quarter of 2022, with almost one million donations made towards Ukraine-related causes, bringing in over £60m of support. Those contributions led to a 4% increase in fundraising compared to the first quarter of 2021.

The increase in donations is in contrast to the fall in the number of people who were involved in charity work, as a small number of people were seen to make massive impacts on giving.

The report says: “Compared to Q2 of 2021, the second quarter of 2022 saw a tremendous increase of 20% through the inspirational Bowelbabe fundraiser. This campaign, led by Dame Deborah James in her battle with cancer, raised over £8m for Cancer Research UK.

“This fundraiser, benefitting clinical trials and research into personalised medicine for cancer patients and supporting campaigns to raise awareness of bowel cancer, is the second largest page ever after Captain Sir Tom Moore’s landmark 2020 fundraiser.”

Pascale Harvie summed up the picture: “Across the board, generosity prevailed in 2022,