Charities confident about fundraising

Six in ten charities feel optimistic about fundraising in 2025, according to research from Enthuse, the donations, fundraising and event registration technology provider, and published in the fourth edition of its annual CharityPulse report. 

2024 WAS A POSITIVE YEAR FOR THE SECTOR. In what was a challenging year financially for many UK households, the charity sector showed its resilience with more than three quarters (77%) of charities either increasing or maintaining their fundraising income in 2024. This was a significant upturn on the 55% who said the same in the last edition of the report. 

This healthy performance has given charities confidence going into 2025, and the 60% of charities saying they feel optimistic about fundraising for the year ahead is another marked increase from the 2024 edition of the report where 44% said the same.

The CharityPulse report stresses that trust is a key component of how charities operate and the good news is charities feel there is a robust level of trust in their cause. In fact, 87% of charity leaders see trust in their charity at an eight out of ten or higher. 

Not only is trust high but three quarters (74%) of charities also feel that there is greater awareness of their cause and its need for support - up from 47% in last year’s report. The other key reasons given for optimism in fundraising include: more opportunities to make use of digital channels (74%), increased participation in mass physical events from younger generations (55%), and big name events like the TCS London Marathon and AJ Bell Great North Run being more inclusive and accessible (44%). 

Of course, says Enthuse, fundraising isn’t without its challenges, so when CharityPulse asked about concerns for 2025 nearly half of charities (47%) said uncertainty over the economy was a consideration. This was the top answer given. Other areas for concern listed were fundraisers being reluctant to ask for support due to money being tight (29%), donor fatigue (24%) and the death of cash (21%). 

AN EVENT-FULL 2025. When it comes to the areas where charities are expecting fundraising income to grow in 2025, events and activities scored highest (54%), closely followed by corporate fundraising (53%) and individual giving (48%). Approximately one in three (31%) charities predict growth in regular giving, 27% said the same for in-memory and 25% for legacy giving. 

With regards to the type of events charities are planning for this calendar year, mass physical participation events came out on top with more than four in five (82%) having this in their plans. This could be a charity-run event or one put on by a third party. Smaller events such as bake offs and pub quizzes are on the cards for 80% of good causes, nearly half (49%) of charities plan to offer a virtual physical event that participants can do in their own time and a quarter (25%) have a hybrid event in their sights.

When asked about the top ways to help fundraisers raise more, 87% of charities said providing information on how the money will be used is important. This was followed by tips on how to ask people for support (74%), ideas for fundraising (73%), initiatives to get people started as early as possible (73%), seeing the amount raised on an official event webpage (73%) and integrated event sign up and fundraising page creation (69%). 

TECHNOLOGY TOOLS ARE HELPFUL. Looking at the adoption of technology in the sector, simple and versatile tools like QR codes are popular, with 79% of charities using them. TikTok and other video channels are utilised by about a third (34%) of charities, 22% say they make use of mobile apps and 16% are already recording or appearing on podcasts.

Despite the headlines, only 10% of charities say they’re using AI to personalise donor journeys. Nearly one in three (32%) charities say they’re using, trialling or researching a replacement for X (Twitter). Interestingly notes Enthuse, 23% of charities, say they’re not using a CRM. 

Looking at any concerns charities had around their digital strategy in 2025, data was a key theme. Nearly three quarters (74%) said they had concerns over data privacy and GDPR compliance. Data security and data leaks are a concern for 64% followed by platform owners collecting supporters’ data (52%) and platform owners re-contacting supporters (41%).

Away from data, other areas of concern included: developing the skills in-house to run digital campaigns (58%), developing social media strategy (50%) and understanding and developing policies around generative AI (49%). 

Charities face persistent internal fraud threat

Despite improvements in fraud awareness among charities, half of all detected charity fraud is still committed by internal perpetrators, according to a report from accountancy and business advisory firm BDO and the Fraud Advisory Panel.  It found that 42% of charities were victims of fraud over a recent 12 months period.  Troublingly, offences committed by staff, volunteers and trustees remain the most prevalent with 50% of detected frauds perpetrated by individuals within the charity.  

According to the report, the most common type of charity fraud was the misappropriation of cash or assets by staff and volunteers (40%). This was followed by payment diversion fraud, also known as authorised push payment (APP) fraud, experienced by a third of charities (33%). This type of fraud can happen when a fraudster impersonates the CEO and orders an urgent payment or pretends to be a supplier and creates or amends invoices, with the objective of diverting funds to bank accounts under their control. 

Staff expenses fraud also remains high with over a quarter (29%) of charities experiencing it over the recent 12 months. 

Whilst the survey indicates that fraud prevention measures are working by detecting and acting on fraud early, 85% of charities still reported that they suffered a financial loss as a result of the fraud committed.  

When looking at the total fraud losses over the 12 months, over two thirds (69%) experienced losses under £100,000, up from 65% in 2023. However, 10% suffered a financial loss up to £1m, and 5% reported total losses exceeding £1m. 

Tracey Kenworthy, counter fraud director at BDO, says: “While it’s encouraging to see the changes charities are implementing to both prevent and detect fraud, the persistent problem of insider fraud suggests more needs to be done.   In the past, charities have been overly reliant on trust. Although our survey suggests that this is changing, the persistent problem of internal perpetrators highlights the importance of having robust internal controls and fostering an anti-fraud culture of openness and transparency. 

“While charities have a more optimistic outlook for the coming 12 months, it’s important that they continue to tackle the fraud risks they are facing. The introduction of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act will provide a framework that some charities can leverage to strengthen their fraud prevention efforts.” 

Christian commitment results in bigger charity donations

Christian charity Stewardship has published its Generosity Report 2025 demonstrating a clear link between regular Christian practice and increased generosity. Those giving the most experience the most joy from their generosity. Committed Christians give an average of £314 a month, equating to 11% of their income. This is £249 or almost five times more than the £65 per month that is given by UK citizens to all charities, according to the Charities Aid Foundation.

The average monthly giving for Christians across all levels of practice is £124 a month, or 5% of their income, which is over twice the national average and an increase of £47 compared to last year. While the numbers are encouraging, says the report, a giving gap remains. If each Christian in the UK gave 10% after tax – based on the principle of tithing described in the Bible – that amount would almost double to £236 a month or £2,832 a year.

Over 90% of Christians who attend church at least once a month give regularly to their church and over 60% of committed Christians are regularly supporting Christian causes.

A key finding was the importance of trust in a cause as a key driver for giving. Over 70% of regular churchgoers reported they trust their church “a lot”, while only 50% of this group said the same of Christian charities. That dropped to 27% for secular causes.

A stand-out demographic is that the youngest age category (18-19) is giving the highest proportion of their income at 10.63%. 80% of this group give regularly to their church, with an average gift of £98.26 representing the highest value among all age groups. This group is also almost twice as likely to be a committed Christian, which further supports the finding that a more engaged practice leads to greater generosity.

Crooked churchmen jailed for charity fraud

A former accountant of a national children’s charity has been jailed for 10 years for using his knowledge of the sector to steal £1.5 million through fraudulent Gift Aid claims. Kwabena Duodu conspired with a crooked preacher and used the details of other churches, including his own, as part of the criminal Gift Aid operation. In total, Duodu used the details of 10 evangelical churches across the north and east of London to submit false claims.

The 51 year old from Loughton, Essex used his share of the stolen money to help buy a £550,000 house. He also sent stolen money to his accomplice, Moses Asare, who has been jailed for seven years.

Asare, 57, was head pastor of Praise Harvest Community Church, and he used his position to convince other churches to trust him to make claims on their behalf. He received £320,000 from Duodu and used some of the money to act as a loan shark to members of his own congregation, charging them an eye-watering 120% interest.

A third man, John Quansah, 43, head pastor of Heaven Light Ministry International, was found guilty of furnishing false information.

Eleanor Handslip, assistant director in HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service, says: “These men presented themselves as upstanding, honest and charitable men of God. In reality, they were just criminals cynically abusing their positions to steal.”

Company charity initiatives aid employee engagement

Research from Aqua Libra Flavour Tap, a brand of soft drinks company Britvic, has found that charity partnerships have a positive impact on employee engagement. Employees working for companies with charity initiatives report significantly higher levels of engagement, with 75% feeling engaged with their employer compared to just 51% in charities without such charity programmes.

Almost two thirds (64%) of employees surveyed who work for companies with charity initiatives rate their employer as “good” when it comes to creating and maintaining employee engagement. This is significantly higher than the 37% of those who don’t have charity initiatives who said the same.

73% of employees whose employers have charity initiatives express a likelihood of staying with their current workplace. Close to two-thirds (65%) of employees with charity initiatives are willing to go above and beyond for their current employer; this is significantly higher than the 41% of those in companies without charity initiatives who said the same.

Even more compelling, companies with charity initiatives have 71% of their employees saying they would enthusiastically recommend their workplace to a friend, while just 46% say the same in companies which don’t have charity initiatives.

38% of employees report that these programmes give them a more positive perception of their employer, while nearly a third gain a better understanding of their local community. Importantly, just under one in three (31%) feel more connected to their organisation's broader purpose. 

When seeking new employment, employees are increasingly prioritising companies with meaningful charity initiatives. 33% of surveyed employees actively look for employers with charity programmes, with this number rising to 39% among those already experiencing such initiatives. Top priorities include opportunities for volunteering days, charity fundraising events and seasonal charitable activities.

Helping to turn dreams into reality 

Hospitality business The Big Table Group has entered into a partnership with charity Dreams Come True, which delivers on life-changing dreams for children  living with serious illnesses, disabilities or life-limiting conditions and who live in areas of deprivation across the country.

The collaboration will see The Big Table Group’s brands – including Bella Italia, Las Iguanas, Banana Tree, Frankie & Benny’s and Chiquito– unite to raise funds and awareness throughout 2025, helping to make dreams a reality for the children.

With over 220 restaurants across the UK and a team of more than 5,000 people, there will be a programme of fundraising initiatives and customer-driven campaigns, starting with a variety of in-restaurant activities.

Prize money for youth mental health

The Reed Foundation has awarded a £1 million prize to UK Youth. The foundation, which owns 18% of recruitment business the Reed Group, created the £1 million “Sir Alec Reed Prize” in celebration of its founder Sir Alec’s 90th birthday and Reed’s 65th year in business. The prize is intended to support young people aged between 16 and 24, who are experiencing poor mental health to secure or keep employment. More than 20 charities were invited to apply for the prize.

Alex Chapman, chair of The Reed Foundation, says: “Statistics show that young people who are experiencing poor mental health are more likely to be out of work than their healthy peers. With the number of young people experiencing poor mental health rising, myself, the trustees and Sir Alec felt very strongly that this was something we wanted to address, and support, through the prize.

"There is an estimated 576,000 economically inactive young people, aged 16 to 24, who are NEET (not in employment, education or training), and this is something we’re dedicated to addressing.”

The £1 million grant builds on a year of donations by the foundation. To further celebrate Sir Alec’s 90th birthday and Reed’s 65th anniversary, the foundation has been donating £10,000 every week for a year to support 52 different charities, nominated by an employee chosen at random. This means that by April 2025 the Reed Foundation will have donated more than a total £1.5m to charities.

Boost for energy advice partnership

The Cadent Foundation, funded by gas distribution network company Cadent, is to extend its long term partnership with Citizens Advice. A further £2 million funding boost will be used to extend a pilot initiative which saw the introduction of energy and financial hardship advice in some of the most deprived communities in the UK.

So far, over 2,000 people have been supported via case workers, with financial gains to families exceeding £2.6 million. The majority of the savings achieved were through better bill management and income maximisation advice, as well as making people aware of their additional benefit entitlements, which are often confusing to navigate for people living in the most vulnerable situations.

The overwhelming success of the pilot, which demonstrated a significant positive impact on the lives of those struggling with rising living costs, has led to this project extension which aims to tackle fuel poverty in the long-term. The additional money from the foundation will support the expansion of guidance and practical interventions by Citizens Advice.

The collaborative programme will now extend to a further nine locations, including in Bedford, Stoke-on-Trent and Manchester, taking the total locations running the scheme to 17.

Further money for benefits check service

The Rothesay Foundation is donating a further £2.47 million to expand Age UK’s successful benefits check service. This will support 11 local Age UK branches to deliver benefits checks in local communities, providing dedicated staff to guide older people through the application process which includes help filling out the forms. Age UK will also hire additional staff for its UK national Advice Line to provide the same service over the telephone.

The funding will also support Age UK to follow up with callers on the progress and outcome of their claim, ensuring they receive the help they need to successfully navigate the benefits process.

The Rothesay Foundation donation follows a pilot campaign it launched with Age UK to help fund the charity’s free and confidential benefits check service for older people. The pilot helped more than 4,500 participants find out whether they were eligible for state benefits, both in person and through a dedicated telephone advice line.

76% of those in the pilot group who accessed the benefits check service were eligible for benefits they were not claiming. From this pilot group alone, an average of £6,600 in additional benefits was identified per person, amounting to a total of £23 million in benefits for older people in need. The expanded service aims to identify up to a further £55 million over the next two years supporting over 11,000 older people through the partnership. 

 Fundraising start for two-year partnership

The first year of a two-year charity partnership with Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity involving fundraising by colleagues at investment management firm Invesco has raised a total of £125,977 for 2024. Rainbow Trust pairs each family with an expert Family Support Worker who enables them to make the most of time together, giving them practical and emotional support. Invesco’s latest fundraising efforts will cover the cost to fund two Family Support Workers.

Through a variety of events, including a 12-strong team taking on Invesco’s annual Thames Challenge, employee fundraising has raised over £70,000 of this total. Staff have also taken part in the London Marathon, the London to Brighton Cycle Ride, more sporting events, charity bake sales, and a salary sacrifice initiative. The Invesco Cares Foundation then matched staff fundraising to double the total.

This year fund manager Alexandra Ivanovahas taken on a new Arctic Adventure Challenge: a six-day trek through Norway and Finland learning essential survival skills in the extreme environment of the Arctic Circle. She was raising funds for both Rainbow Trust and her own charity Save the Permafrost

Rainbow Trust has also challenged Invesco staff to join its Adventure Triple Challenge which takes place in April in the Lake District. This comprises a 31-mile hike, a two-mile row, and a grand finale of a 7.5-mile summit of Helvellyn.

Children’s cancer milestone reached

Retailer MandM is celebrating a 20-year partnership with Teenage Cancer Trust. Since 2005, MandM has provided support and donations to Teenage Cancer Trust through event sponsorship, staff fundraising and corporate donations. This collaboration has reached a milestone of over £3 million.

MandM’s contributions have been instrumental in providing critical resources, including the equivalent of funding 100,000 hours of expert care from Teenage Cancer Trust nurses

Foundation hits £15 million mark

The Screwfix Foundation is celebrating the fact it has raised £15 million and supported more than 1.5 million people since its launch in 2013 in its mission to support local charities and community projects across the UK. This achievement has been made possible thanks to the generosity of Screwfix customers and the fundraising efforts of employees at the retailer of trade tools, accessories and hardware products.

The foundation has been providing grants to repair, maintain or improve community facilities, homes and other buildings used by those in need. It has helped more than 3,000 local projects, ranging from mental health charities and youth centres to hospices and schools.

Most searched-for charity brand

According to a report from Salience Search Marketing, the National Trust has been revealed as the UK’s most searched-for charity brand in 2024. The report lists the charity sector’s leaders based on their online prominence and visibility. It also analysed 11 crucial performance indicators for charity brands, including year-on-year visibility, search volume trends and brand awareness.

The UK’s Most Searched-For Charity Brands

Brett Janes, managing director at Salience Search Marketing, says: “For charities, maintaining healthy search interest is vital for attaining funding and interest in the charity’s message. Overall, a strong social strategy should be implemented to boost prominence in a competitive sector.”

Donation to take youth zone forward

Empower Youth Zones, the charity which oversees the creation, management and sustainability of youth zones in Manchester and Salford, is receiving a donation of £100,000 for its Salford Youth Zone from Salford businessman Paul Sweeney’s Sandywood Property company.

This will be provided across four years and will contribute towards the development and maintenance of the site. This will include funding the activities and services that young people rely on, such as sports clubs, music facilities, and art and craft classes.

Sandywood Property will also facilitate training for young people in the youth zone who are interested in exploring careers in the hospitality sector. It will do this by leveraging its renovation projects to provide training opportunities and experiences.

Salford Youth Zone is on track to open in the summer and will be the latest Empower Youth Zone in Greater Manchester, following HideOut in Gorton, East Manchester which was set up in 2020. It will support thousands of young people in Salford communities, with Empower youth workers playing a part.