News/Stats/Studies

Cathy Pharoah, director of the Centre for Charitable Giving and Philanthropy, says direct mail remains 'hugely important.' One-third of people who make donations to charity are prompted to do so by receiving direct mail from the organisation in the post, according to a survey by delivery company TNT. The poll of 2,000 British adults found that 57 per cent of those who respond to mail appeals do so by post. It also found that 10 per cent of respondents would use information sent through the post to find out more about a charity, but 87 per cent of

A recent survey of donors by marketing firms Russ Reid and Grey Matter Re & Consulting resulted in numerous insights about how donors think and give. The survey asked about many aspects of the respondents' giving patterns, including donating in response to the appeal for funds in the wake of the Haiti earthquake earlier this year. For those of us who have been thinking hard about disaster giving recently, these data are helpful in answering the question of who might give in these situations, to what, and by what channels. Here are the points from the study about giving

Two studies commissioned by the Direct Marketing Association Nonprofit Federation say watchdog groups' ratings of charities suffer from big flaws that could do big damage to charities. In response, chief executives of three watchdogs cited in the research papers, which they say they have not seen, say their groups provide a critical service in holding charities accountable. One study, by George E. Mitchell, research assistant with the Transnational NGO Initiative at the Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs at Syracuse University, says the three big watchdog agencies providing ratings that are widely seen as measures of organizational effectiveness or accountability

Household income and education levels are usually the key elements fund raisers use to figure out who is most likely to give, but it turns out something else is more important: whether a potential donor’s parents were involved in charitable causes.

According to a GuideStar report, 40 percent of respondents saw further declines in contributions in the first five months of 2010, while 63 percent saw an increase in demand for their services, putting even more pressure on fundraisers.

A new research study was released today that may change the way many nonprofits approach their fundraising budgets. The report, Heart of the Donor: Insights Into Donor Motivation and Behavior for the 21st Century, uncovers valuable insights on donor behavior and preferences as well as insight into age, demographics and other factors.

With the battle over whether to extend the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy shaping up as the major political event of the fall, opponents of repeal were handed a bounteous gift this summer when Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and 38 others announced that they formed a pact to give at least half their wealth to charity. After all, what better illustration could there be of the great social good that wealthy people can do when the government lets them keep their hard-earned dollars to spend as they please? The problem is that the exceptional philanthropy of the superwealthy

(Source: MARKETWIRE)GuideStar USA, Inc. -- the leading source of nonprofit information -- today announced the results of its first economic survey of public charity and private foundations in 2010, which show that the nonprofit sector continued to take a beating in the wake of one of the nation's worst economic downturns. About 40 percent of respondents have seen a further decline in contributions in the first five months of 2010 compared to the first five months of 2009. At the same time, a majority (63 percent) have seen an increase in demand for their services. "Our survey echoes what

Better Business Bureau of Southeast Texas News Release You Too Can Donate Like a Billionaire BBB Wise Giving Alliance recommends donors research charities fully before they give, just like billionaires do Beaumont, Texas – Forty billionaires have pledged to donate a substantial portion of their wealth to charity with the hope of inspiring others to donate to worthy causes as well. While the dollar amount might be less, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance encourages everyone to give like a billionaire by researching any charity fully before making a donation. “Every experienced philanthropist has a thorough process for vetting charities

The Commissioner of Charities' latest annual report, released on Tuesday, showed that individual donations reached $240 million, up from $211 million in 2008 - a 13.7 per cent increase. -- ST PHOTO: WANG HUI FEN INDIVIDUAL tax-deductible donations to charities rose last year, despite the economic recession. The Commissioner of Charities' latest annual report, released on Tuesday, showed that individual donations reached $240 million, up from $211 million in 2008 - a 13.7 per cent increase. Public generosity also extended to foreign causes, said the report. The expected amount raised for such causes was $25.6 million last year, up