Tony Samuel, The Blue Cross

Stakeholder audits

Most charities aspire to be more stakeholder-propelled – to become organisations that are accountable to and focused around the needs of key audiences such as service users, supporters, funders, partner organisations etc. Commissioning independent research to explore and understand the thoughts, feelings and experiences of these groups is one key step on the road to achieving this aspiration.

Key case study: RSPCA stakeholder audit

As one of the largest charities in Britain with a wide range of roles and responsibilities, the RSPCA has a diverse range of stakeholders. In order to inform its communication strategy the RSPCA commissioned nfpSynergy to conduct a significant stakeholder consultation. We designed and conducted a study to capture the attitudes, experiences and expectations of current RSPCA supporters, a nationally representative sample of the general public closest to RSPCA, a robust youth sample of 11 to 25 year olds, and the segment of the general public that are defined as 'animal lovers'.
 
The study covered a wide range of topics including:
• Awareness of the RSPCA
• Comprehension of RSPCA's services and areas of work
• Motivation to support RSPCA's services and areas of work
• Motivation to donate money to supporting particular animals
• Perceptions of the RSPCA brand and core values
• Awareness and perceptions of other animal charities
The findings of this study were delivered to the Head of Fundraising at RSPCA and will be used to inform future communications.