There has been a ‘significant drop’ in the number of under 40s giving to charity, research has found.

The latest edition Enthuse’s quarterly Donor Pulse report, which explores the impact differing Covid mindsets will have on charity fundraising and events, found the number of under 40s donating to charity has dropped from 81% down to 70%.

This is claimed to be due to a combination of the end of furlough and the opening up of more leisure opportunities, which has led to under 40s having less disposable income to spend on donations.

Despite the overall drop, the number of people donating to multiple charities has mostly held up, the research said, with 45% of the public giving to two or more charities in the last three months - this is down just 1% over the last quarter.

The people who support the widest range of charities remained Gen Z, with nearly two fifths (38%) giving to three or more causes in the last three months - by comparison only a fifth of Baby Boomers gave to the same number of charities.

Direct donations

The end of most Covid restrictions has meant increased opportunities for cash donations, yet 49% of under 40s would prefer to donate online, and just 27% would prefer to use cash.

This preference for online giving coincides with the news that ATMs are being used 40% less in the last two years. In total, 39% of the public has donated online in the past three months.

The research shows that the public want to donate directly to charities – 67% of online donors state this is their preferred way of giving. This is particularly significant for charitable organisations as direct donations through a cause’s website are greater in value. The average digital donation comes in at £34 but those direct through the site average £40.

Furthermore, 81% of donors remember the name of the charity when they donate through the organisation's site – only 60% do when using a consumer giving platform. This means that supporters are 35% more likely to recall the name of the charity if they can donate through the website.

“Value, preference and connection – three crucial ingredients for charities aiming to build long term relationships with their supporters," Enthuse founder and CEO, Chester Mojay-Sinclare said.

"The data tells us that there’s a clear preference for donating directly through a charity’s website and that supporters give a greater amount this way. This shows that charities need to give careful consideration to developing the key digital channels they own, such as their website. Long term support is built with direct relationships with supporters, the best way to do that is enabling people to support them via their preferred method.”

Events are back

The good news for charities is that there are signs that people are feeling more confident about day to day life, particularly in terms of supporting charity events.

In fact, 36% of people are likely to take part in a charity event in the next six months – this is a rise of 7% from February. There have been increases in willingness to participate in fundraising events across the board – but most marked is the 18-24 age group rising by 14% (from 43% to 57%) and the 65-80 age group doubling (from 9% to 18%).

The study indicates that participation could be increased further, with 36% of the public saying they would be more willing to take part in a mass participation activity if there was a virtual option.

While there is still some trepidation about events, there is a clear building of confidence among the public – underlined by the strong turnout for the London Marathon, said the report.

To read the full report, click here

Share Story: