Giving expected to stall in 2012 - but you can beat the trend
- Wed, December 07 2011
- Filed under: Fundraising essentials
The economy continues to founder, and the latest proof is a new survey by Fenton and GlobeScan that forecasts giving is stalled into next year: 72% of respondents in the U.K. and 65% of respondents in the U.S. say their 2012 giving will remain the same; and 16% of respondents in the U.K. and 17% of respondents in the U.S. say their 2012 giving will decrease.
So what do you do? When asked what would inspire a donation, the two leading answers were “a cause they believed in” (44% in the U.K., 35% in the U.S.) and a personal connection to the organizations (24% in the U.K., 18% in the U.S.).
In other words, it’s what I have said too many times to count: Tell a great story and forge an emotional connection. You will beat the trend.
Here are the key findings:
•Giving to nonprofits is stalled: Seventy-two percent of U.K. respondents and 65% of U.S. respondents say they expect their giving to remain the same in 2012; only 12% of U.K. respondents and 18% of U.S. respondents say they expect their giving to increase.
•Nonprofits are perceived to be most effective as change makers: Forty-one percent of U.K. respondents and 55% of U.S. respondents say they believe nonprofits and charities are highly effective at bringing about positive social change. Fifty-four percent of U.K. respondents and 56% of U.S. respondents say they highly trust charities and nonprofits.
•Nonprofits and charities can earn greater support by making a personal connection: When asked what is most important in a decision to donate to a nonprofit/charity, people say an organization’s commitment to a cause they feel strongly about (54% U.K.; 44% U.S.) is the most important factor.
•Confusion surrounding nonprofit spending and management: Less than half of respondents say they believe nonprofits/charities do a good job of spending funds and managing operations, and an even smaller percentage say they have a high level of knowledge about how nonprofits perform in these areas. Those who report knowing more about how nonprofits are managed are also more positive about their support.
•Social media is most important for staying current on nonprofit activities and taking action: Respondents give varying reasons for using social media tools in relation to nonprofits, but the majority of responses underscore the value of social media to keep supporters up to date and provide opportunities for engagement. While social media may not be the most effective tool to reach new audiences, it is an effective one to engage existing supporters.
•Traditional media is still important for breaking through on issues and inspiring engagement: News stories and television commercials rank higher than social media as persuasion tools to bring new people into an effort. Getting stories on the television news is the most effective; 28% of U.K. respondents and 25% of U.S. respondents rank this as the most effective tool.
Comments
The emotional issue is the biggest pull - the tug on the heartstrings that pulls in money. Guilt and fear combined.
My achievements under this goal are the ones I’m most proud of, but if you would like to see what else I did this year, check out posts about goals one and two.