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INFORMATION NOT PESTERING KEEPS DONATIONS FLOWINGMore than two fifth of donors who stop giving to charity do so because they can not afford it any more, according to research carried out in the third quarter of 2008. But, more worrying for fundraisers, almost a quarter stop because it is not clear how my money is helping. Online research company CCB fast.MAP carried out the survey among 1,309 donors randomly selected from the CCB fast.MAP panel which is demographically representative of the UK population. The 35% of these donors who said they had previously stopped giving to a specific charity went on to answer questions about why they had done so. 'Only 4% stopped giving because of a disaster appeal or other media coverage. Half of these selected: A lot of media attention about the cause I decided to support instead and the rest: because I gave money instead to a recent disaster/ appeal, which suggests that most people will continue to give to cause to which they are committed, even when they are moved to make extra donations elsewhere,' says David Cole, MD of CCB fast.MAP. No one was motivated to change their allegiance because of a free gift or incentive or because of appealing creative work in another charity's recruitment pack. And only 1% each moved because: I moved house and the charity did not contact me or: when another charity contacted me I liked its more personal approach. 'A large percentage of people (29%) gave their own reasons for stopping donations to a specific charity and these make interesting reading,' says Cole. 'More than a third of these cited financial reasons, such as high administrative costs, directors' high salaries or bad publicity which had caused them to loose trust in the organisation.' Another third mentioned:'pressure; pestering; bombarding; pushing; demanding; hassling; or bullying; for more money'. Typical unprompted responses included: They were too greedy and asking too often. They kept on contacting me asking for more and more, even sending raffle tickets to sell on their behalf. Got sent more letters asking to increase donations, suggested an amount. A few resented attempts to move them from standing order to direct debit donations. A slightly smaller group disagreed over specific policy issues or events such as: animal testing by medical charities; too large a percentage of funding sent overseas; no local presence; not responding when the donor or their friends or family requested help; and not investing funds ethically, were typical reasons given. 'A handful mentioned passive events or a change of circumstances, such as retirement, unemployment or moving to a new job where the employer did not have a donations-through-salary scheme,' Cole adds. HAVE YOU EVER STOPPED GIVING TO A SPECIFIC CHARITY? Yes 35% No 65% Response: 1,309 Source: CCB fast.MAP PLEASE STATE THE REASONS WHY? Couldn't afford it anymore 41% Other, please specify 23% It wasn't clear to me how my money was helping 22% Another charity seemed like a more worthwhile cause 14% Lack of communication from the charity that I was donating to 7% Another charity needed my money more 7% A lot of media attention about the cause I decided to support instead 2% Because I gave money instead to a recent disaster/ appeal 2% I moved house and the charity did not contact me 1% When another charity contacted me, I liked its more personal approach 1% I liked the picture on another charity's envelope/mailing 0% Another charity offered a free gift/incentive 0% Source: CCB fast.MAP For more information please contact: David Cole, MD, CCB fast.MAP, mobile 07775 684293; tel. 0207 242 0702, [email protected]. or Paul Seabrook, director CCB fast.MAP, Tel. 0207 242 0702, mobile 078107 14707 [email protected]. As a community-building service, TMCnet allows user submitted content which is not always proofed by TMCnet editors. If you feel this entry is of inferior quality or wish to report it for some reason, please forward the URL to "webedit [AT] tmcnet [DOT] com" with your comments. |