Majority of fundraisers positive about future, Status of UK Fundraising report shows
Melanie May | 2 July 2019 | News
Most fundraisers in the UK enjoy their jobs and are positive about the sector’s future with the economic environment seen as the key challenge by the majority according to the Status of UK Fundraising report from Blackbaud Europe and the Institute of Fundraising.
The second annual Status of UK Fundraising report, released today at Fundraising Convention (2 July), shows that overall, 84% of respondents agreed that they enjoyed their job with only 5% looking for a new role outside of the sector, and 66% positive about the future of the sector as a whole.
The majority also saw potential future challenges coming from external forces, specifically the economic climate. While 50% of respondents reported an increase in income and 50% expected income to increase, 67% said the biggest challenge to the sector was the economic environment.
Respondents with strategies that had successfully increased fundraising income identified innovation, skills and investment as being the key deliverers of growth. 62% said their income growth was planned based on new and different activity while 60% said they could grow their income because they had enough people with the right level of skills in place, and 52% said they could grow their income because they have the right level of investment in activity.
Over 1,000 respondents completed the survey, of which 65% were fundraisers, 72% were female, and 92% were white. 60% of respondents have worked in the non-profit sector for five years or more. 50% thought the sector was taking appropriate action to address the issue of diversity, inclusion and equality, with only 21% thinking their organisation was doing the same. 43% thought their organisation was taking some steps but that there was more work to be done.
Peter Lewis, CEO at the Institute of Fundraising said:
“I’m delighted that this 2019 edition of Status of UK Fundraising is showing that those in fundraising say that they enjoy their job and that two-thirds are positive about the future of the sector as a whole. Fundraising is a challenging job, but even in tough times it’s fantastic to see that fundraisers are relishing the task ahead.
The research brings home how important the key elements of planning, investment, and strategy are to fundraising success. Fundraisers who said their charity’s income had decreased were much more likely to say it was because they were not resourced effectively or did not have enough people with the right skills.
“The findings on diversity and inclusion are in agreement with our ongoing research that there is clear underrepresentation in the fundraising workforce: only 8% of responding fundraisers are from a black and minority ethnic group, and women are under-represented in more senior roles. It’s clear that people feel that the sector as a whole needs to do more to address these issues, although there are some positive signs that respondents see appropriate action being taken, particularly within their own organisations.”
David Benjamin, Blackbaud International Markets Group President added:
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“Respondents to the survey told us that the keys to success are to innovate, plan and invest – and this is definitely something we can all learn from. 62% told us their income growth was planned based on new and different activity, 60% said they could grow their income because they had enough people with the right level of skills in place, and 52% said they could grow their income because they have the right level of investment in activity.
“We want to thank everyone who participated and helped us deliver this comprehensive view of the state of fundraising in the UK.”
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.