The recent impact of covid-19 on the charity sector has been wide-spread. There has been uncertainty for everyone. To put it simply, the pandemic has changed the way we fundraise. So how has this affected charity donors?
The most recent Enthuse Donor Pulse report examines donor behaviour and public opinions from recent times. [1] Charitable giving trends, age-related findings and the future of fundraising will be discussed in this article.
Generous Gen Z
After the early months of the pandemic, there was a boost in the number of people donating money to charities. It has been found that, ‘only 59% of the public…made a donation at the start of the pandemic’. But, this figure ‘has stayed at… 69% since October 2020’.
There has also been an increase in the amount of young people donating. 81% of under 40s donated in the last quarter, which is significantly more than the 62% of donors over 40. Under 40s also donated to a wider variety of causes than over 40s. Almost half of Gen Z have donated to three or more charities. This highlights the importance of charitable organisations using their resources to build campaigns crafted with this age bracket in mind.
Going Digital
The switch to online charitable giving continues to increase in popularity. People may assume that, as lockdown restrictions have eased, charities would shift back to more traditional methods of giving and become less involved in the digital world. But, in fact, digital donations have been increasing. This has continued even in the past three months. The ease of giving to charity online, especially for young people, may well be the reason why.
Research has also found that, in the last three months, the number of donations made directly to charities has dropped by 5%. However, the number of people donating through consumer giving platforms has actually increased by 5%. Consumer giving platforms, like Givey, make it easy for you to donate to your chosen charity by using social media links and information to enhance your fundraising experience. We can guarantee that your charity will receive 100% of every donation too.
Fundraising Future
A crucial part of the fundraising mix has normally been charity activity in the workplace. But, this has been difficult and, at points, impossible in the last 16 months. Last march ‘58% of workers were displaced from their normal workplace,’ either due to working from home or after being furloughed. This has meant that two thirds of workers were not physically in their work environments.
For this reason, it looks as though digital fundraising is here to stay. Virtual events have boosted our mood in the past year. This has shown us that lots of activities can take place virtually. Similarly, once more of us have returned to workplaces, companies will need to take those who work remotely into consideration when organising events. Flexible fundraising options will need to be used by charities to ensure they remain inclusive.
The pandemic has given charities some huge hurdles to overcome. But, the increase in charitable giving over the past year has been positive to see. Charities will need to put their efforts into flexible fundraising for the foreseeable future.
Although there has been a steep learning curve for some, the pandemic has taught us how resourceful, resilient and truly needed charities are.
References:
[1] Enthuse_Donor_Pulse_Summer_2021.pdf
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