Most comprehensive and RELEVANT branding document for charities that I have read. (And I have read an awful lot...)
Press Releases
58% of Councillors and 50% of Local Authority staff think “charities are able to deliver public services as cost-effectively as local authorities” - according to the latest data (see summary slides). However, Local Authority staff estimate just 14% of services are provided by the voluntary sector, with companies bagging a quarter (26%) of all delivery contracts.Growth in charities’ average voluntary income rises or falls 10 months after any rise or fall in GDP growth, followed by peak impact on overall income growth a further 7 months later - according to a financial analysis by nfpSynergy. Click here to see the charts.
The Institute of Fundraising has invited its outgoing chair, Joe Saxton, to forge a coalition of all parties keen to reduce current prohibitive fees the telecoms industry charges charities who seek donations via SMS text messaging.
58% of Councillors and 50% of Local Authority staff think “charities are able to deliver public services as cost-effectively as local authorities”, respective figures rising to 63% and 59% when comparing charitable ability in this area with that of companies - according to new figures (see summary slides).Many charities overly rely on passive online fundraising tactics like “donate now” buttons that are, in isolation, a decade out of date, according to a new report (see report summary here) These are the key findings of “Passion, persistence & partnership: the secrets of earning more online”, produced by nfpSynergy, working with MissionFish - the innovative force behind eBay for Charity - and supported by the Institute of Fundraising.
Three quarters (76%) of all MPs agree agree that “in general, charities are more effective at campaigning amongst MPs than companies”; a quarter (24%) agreeing “strongly” - according to new figures. Click here to see the charts.
Youth volunteering levels fluctuated but remained broadly flat for the 18 month period Mar 2006 – Nov 2007, with 13%-19% 11-25 year olds claiming to have volunteered for a charity “in the last three months”, according to latest figures. Click here to see the charts.
Public trust in charities slumped 9 percentage points (from 51% to 42%) between Sept 2006 and July 2007, according to latest figures released by nfpSynergy, taken from the Charity Awareness Monitor. People from lower social grades (DEs: 30%), 55-64 year olds (35%) and those living in Yorkshire and the North East (26%) show least trust. Only the BBC and the Bank seem to have taken a bigger institutional battering. Click here to see the relevant figures.
Charities whose voluntary funding has given them significant financial independence from governmental, statutory sources are far more likely to have the confidence to engage with, and impress, MPs - according to new data out today. The top 30 MP-impressing UK charities’ average voluntary income is 61%, against 38% sector-wide averageGovernment strategy has failed to deliver rising volunteer numbers thus far. Volunteering levels have been fluctuating (18-20%) but remained broadly flat since 2003, with a notable slump amongst 54-64 year olds (down by a third, from 23% in 2001 to 16% in 2007), as the Government’s strategy thus far fails to deliver rising volunteer numbers - according to a new briefing out today (downloadable from our free reports page).The proportion of people with internet access claiming to have visited a charity website has leapt by a third (from 23% to 30%) in the last six months (Feb-Oct 07) alone, according to latest figures out today – and has almost doubled (from 16% to 30%) over the last 5 years (July 02 – Oct 07).Charities and pressure groups based or working in Ireland now have the chance to regularly track what the Irish think about themselves, their services, their causes and competitors, plus charitable campaigns and giving – thanks to the launch of a comprehensive new twice-yearly monitor from Europe’s leading not for profit sector think tank and research consultancy.
For the very first time, UK charities and pressure groups now have the chance to regularly track what ethnic minorities think about them, their services, their causes and competitors, plus charitable campaigns and giving – thanks to the launch of a new twice-yearly monitor by the UK’s leading not for profit sector think tank and research consultancy, nfpSynergy.
Three quarters (76%) of Peers cite face-to-face meetings in Westminster as a charity’s most influential form of direct contact with them - according to a poll out today. Failing which, The Guardian is now the most commonly (59%) regularly-read newspaper amongst Their Lordships, with almost one in ten (8%) seemingly addicted to OK! and Hello! magazines; and almost all shunning The Sun.
The UK charity sector could learn from the US experience and overcome its “British reserve” in order to more actively target and woo a growing breed of affluent donors - according to a new report into charitable giving out today. And it must stop taking all donors for granted and start offering greater choice, satisfaction and value.
1 in 4 charity professionals start to become interested in the sector by age 15, two thirds by age 24; and people with older siblings, or from larger families, are significantly less likely to work in the charity sector than eldest siblings or those from smaller families - according to a briefing out today.Southerners tend to give more money to charity, and more often, donating larger proportions of their income than those living in the North of the UK - according to a briefing out today. Who gives to Charity? is based on analysis of the government’s most recent Family Expenditure Survey, a quarterly study which asks a representative sample of over 11,000 respondents from 6,000 UK households about how much they give to charity, and how often.
As Scotland elects its first ever SNP First Minister, UK-wide charities (not to mention charities that don’t even deliver services in Scotland) still dominate public awareness north of the border, headed by Oxfam (51% unprompted awareness), RSPCA (31% - note: delivers services in England and Wales only), Red Cross (26%) and Barnardo's (25%) - despite half (48%) of Scots’ apparently preferring to donate money to charities which operate exclusively in Scotland – according to data out today.
Scots want charities to be open and fair, honest and legal. That’s one of the key findings from the first ever survey conducted by the first ever rolling research project on Scots attitudes to charities, campaigns and causes. The Scottish Charity Engagement Monitor (SCEM) is the brainchild of nfpSynergy, the leading not for profit sector think tank and research consultancy. The first SCEM was conducted in mid April and surveyed 1000 Scots on their awareness of UK and Scottish charities, as well as exploring their attitudes to key issues and fundraising methods.
Contrary to an oft-touted and somewhat patronising myth, the richest in society are, in fact, the most likely to give and the most generous when they do give - according to a briefing out today.
Who gives to Charity? is based on analysis of the most recent Family Expenditure Survey, a quarterly study which asks a representative sample of over 11,000 respondents from 6,000 UK households about how much they give to charity, and how often. The briefing comes ahead of nfpSynergy’s much-anticipated 21st Century Donor report, examining the broader habits and trends of charitable donors in the UK today – due for release early July.
Joe Saxton – chair of the Institute of Fundraising and Driver of Ideas at not for profit sector think tank and research consultancy nfpSynergy – has been voted the most influential person in the UK’s fundraising sector: for the third year running. Professional Fundraising magazine’s fifth annual reader survey saw third sector minister Ed Miliband trailing, at sixth position; Chancellor of the Exchequer and apparent PM-in-waiting, Gordon Brown at number 8; chief executive of the Fundraising Standards Board, Jon Scourse at 11; Charity Commission chair, Dame Suzi Leather at 27; and outgoing PM, Tony Blair at 30.
- Running for the money
The vast majority (6 out of 7, 85%) of UK charities feel “marathons and running events have the potential to form a bigger part of [their] fundraising mix”; with 4 in 5 (79%) claiming to be interested (3 in 5, 61%, to be “very or quite” interested) in raising money via a second marathon in London– according to research released today.
- 1 in 3 charities think big charities have negative impact on sector
A third (33%) of all charities asked think very big charitable organisations have a negative impact on the sector as a whole – according to the UK’s first ever comprehensive “State of the Third Sector” survey. The study asked almost 300 professionals, from a broad cross-section of charities, about the main influences and factors effecting their own work and the sector as a whole - including the impact of Government initiatives and key sector bodies.
Whilst almost all (96%) MPs polled agree - 55% strongly - that “charities and voluntary and community groups in [their] constituency are a vital force for creating a better local community”, scarce half (53%) think that “Local Authorities treat charities and voluntary and community groups in [their] constituency fairly” - with under half (49%) of all Labour MPs quizzed believing so.
Over 4 in 5 (82%) MPs polled agree that “all charities should be free to influence change, and to campaign, irrespective of their size” – according to research out today. Moreover, the majority (55%) of MPs agree that “the regulatory environment for the voluntary sector should try and create a level playing field for all charities, large or small”.
For the very first time, charities and pressure groups working in Scotland now have the chance to regularly survey what the Scottish public think about them, their causes and competitors, plus charitable campaigns and giving – thanks to the launch of a new twice-yearly monitor by the UK’s leading not for profit sector think tank and research consultancy, nfpSynergy.
The UK’s youth claim to be far more concerned about green travel and fair trade than old ethical bulwarks such as drink and sex – despite traditional institutions like the Church having relatively little to say on these newly emerging areas of morality.
The public is completely split over whether charities should deliver more public services - with 2 in 5 (38%) saying they are not sure, 32% against, and 30% in favour - despite this being a key part of the Government’s stated strategy, according to a survey out today.
86% of MPs polled back public opinion in supporting the right of charities to campaign to change laws and government policies relevant to their work; and 1 in 4 (27%) MPs disagree with existing guidelines which limit such activity – according to a parliamentary poll out today.
One in four (24%) charity professionals think their organisation is “too risk averse” and one in three (32%) think it “overly bureaucratic”, according to new research into third sector innovation released today. Moreover, the larger the organisation, the less impressed are its staff regarding its ability to innovate; the more senior the manager, the more complacent.
Not for profit think tank nfpSynergy has teamed up with The ImpACT Coalition to produce a free, short, practical report and guide that will empower charities to formulate and communicate simple messages – including pithy “pub facts” – needed to dispel a range of debilitating misperceptions their stakeholders may have, both about themselves and the wider third sector.
Over 7 in 10 (71%) Tory MPs polled agree with the Government’s official position that charities can often deliver public services more effectively and efficiently than can Government itself, compared with just 1 in 6 (15%) Labour MPs and 1 in 10 (10%) Lib Dem MPs - according to new research out today.
NSPCC’s former Head of Brand Marketing, Chris Greenwood, has joined not for profit sector think tank and research consultancy nfpSynergy as its Joint Managing Director - a new role he now shares with nfpSynergy’s former Director of Projects, Brian Garvey - with the primary remit to enhance nfpSynergy’s brand and marketing consultancy capability. nfpSynergy’s founder and Driver of Ideas, Joe Saxton, remains in overall charge.
On average, scarce half (53%) of all a charity’s existing eligible supporters have signed up to Gift Aid: despite 4 in 5 (81%) of organisations saying the scheme has made it “much easier to make supporters’ gifts tax effective”, and despite promotional sign-up methods like street fundraising proving highly effective when tried - according to new research out today.
Over a third (35%) of charities surveyed say there is a “culture of mutual suspicion and disrespect” between their HQs and regional offices, and half (50%) say their HQs “frequently lack an understanding of what regions are dealing with on a day-to-day basis”, according to research released today.
Joe Saxton - Chair of Institute of Fundraising and Driver of Ideas at not-for-profit sector think-tank and research consultancy nfpSynergy - has been voted the UK's most influential person in the fundraising sector: for the second year running. Professional Fundraising magazine's fourth annual reader survey - the largest to date - saw Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown trailing in third position; third sector minister Ed Miliband at number 20; Bono at 25; and Bob Geldof at 29.
Two thirds (64%) of people support charities spending money on public campaigning and three in five (58%) back their spend on lobbying government, with half (50%) even ranking the latter as the most cost effective charitable activity - according to new research released today, examining public attitudes to campaigning.
17-19 year old females are the most likely youths to support charities - but, without nurturing, they will lose interest as they hit the more "cynical" twenties. And charities need to come across as "effective" rather than "cool" if they are to meet young people's ideals.
Over one in five charities communicate no clear vision, values or purpose about themselves to their staff or public - at least through their own websites - according to a new report and reference guide.
nfpSynergy’s new Youth Awareness Monitor helps charities better understand and engage with young people, their future
Joe Saxton – recently appointed chair of the Institute of Fundraising and director of not for profit sector think tank nfpSynergy – has been voted the UK’s most influential person in the fundraising sector. Professional Fundraising magazine’s third annual reader survey – the largest to date – saw Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown trailing in sixth place, with Bob Geldof at number thirteen.
A new nfpSynergy report, ‘Innovation rules: A roadmap to creativity and innovation for not for profit organisations’ reveals that while charity leaders are often quick to identify with innovative qualities and values, their staff paint a less flattering picture.