# 77% of charities increased or maintained fundraising income in 2025 – Enthuse - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2026/02/19/increased-or-maintainance-fundraising-income-in-2025/ - Published: 2026-02-19T14:13:04+00:00 - Author: Howard Lake **The fifth annual Charity Pulse report from Enthuse, published today, provides a detailed look at the performance of mass participant event charities in 2025 and the outlook for the year ahead. Despite a backdrop of geopolitical and economic uncertainty, the research reveals a resilient sector that is increasingly optimistic about its fundraising prospects.** The report covers three areas: * how charities fared in 2025 as well as optimism levels around fundraising for 2026. * where good causes see the challenges lying in 2026 as well as trust levels in the sector * charities’ technology adoption to see what good causes are using and how this relates to digital strategy. ### The state of play The report highlights a significant upward trend in fundraising performance over the last five years. In 2021, **only 27%** of organisations reported an increase in income. By 2025, this figure rose to **45%**, representing an 18 percentage point increase over the period. Overall, more than three quarters (**77%**) of charities saw their income either grow or remain stable during the past year. ## Advertisement ![A chart showing optimism levels amongst charities around fundraising for 2026.]( https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/2026/02/optimism-around-fundraising-for-2026- enthuse-pulse-202602@2x.png) _Figure 3: optimism around fundraising for 2026. Source: Enthuse_ This performance has fostered a healthy level of optimism, with **64% of charity leaders feeling positive about 2026**. This confidence is underpinned by a perceived growth in cause awareness (**75%**) and expanded digital opportunities (**69%**). Leaders expect the **strongest growth to come from corporate fundraising** (59%), followed by **fundraising events** (53%) and **individual giving** (46%). ### Challenges and trust While optimism is high, **60% of organisations identify the economy as a significant challenge**. However, there is a notable shift in internal sentiment; **only 14%** of leaders now worry that their fundraisers are reluctant to ask for support. This is a marked improvement from the **29%** reported in 2024 and **36%** in 2023. Trust remains a vital foundation for the sector. More than half of charities (** 52%**) believe the public would rate trust in their organisation as a nine or ten out of ten. When including scores of eight and above, this figure reaches 82%, suggesting that most **causes feel they have a strong platform of supporter confidence to build upon**. ### Practical actions for fundraisers The report suggests several clear tactics for charitable organisations to maximise their income in 2026: * **Promote early fundraising**: More than half (53%) of charities intend to encourage participants to start their fundraising sooner. Providing integrated sign-up processes that automatically create fundraising pages can assist with this goal. * **Leverage mass participation**: There is a growing trend toward third-party events. 81% of charities plan to participate in major events like the London Marathon this year, up from 64% in 2025. * **Enhance stewardship**: To keep supporters engaged, 43% of organisations plan to use WhatsApp groups to build communities, and 36% intend to make more personal phone calls. * **Set milestones**: Four in ten charities plan to set more specific targets for their fundraisers, while 18% will offer rewards for reaching particular milestones. ### Technology and digital strategy Practicality remains the priority for technology adoption. **QR codes** are now used by 88% of charities, reflecting their simplicity for donations and registrations.** Video channels**, including TikTok, have also seen rapid growth, with usage rising from **34% to 47% in just one year**. ![Figure 12: chart showing adoption of technology among charities in Enthuse's Charity Pulse 2026](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/2026/02/adoption-of-technology- among-charities-bar-chart-enthuse-pulse-202602@2x.png) _Figure 12: adoption of technology among charities. Source: Enthuse.com_ While artificial intelligence (AI) has not yet seen widespread adoption, interest is significant. More than a third (**36%**) of good causes are currently researching or trialling AI to personalise donor journeys. However, digital strategies are tempered by concerns regarding data security (58%) and the need to develop in-house digital skills (49%). _The research was conducted by [RedFox Research](https://redfoxres.com/). Decision makers from 100 charities were surveyed in November and December 2025 about how their organisation performed in 2025 and how they feel about future opportunities._ **You can download the full report by registering your detail at [Enthuse](https://www.google.com/search?q=https://enthuse.com/intelligence/charity-pulse-2026/).** * **[Enthuse reports on mass participation event trends](https://fundraising.co.uk/2026/02/10/enthuse-reports-on-mass-participation-event-trends/)( 10 February 2026) * **[Access Group in agreement to acquire fundraising platform Enthuse](https://fundraising.co.uk/2026/02/12/access-group-in-agreement-to-acquire-fundraising-platform-enthuse/)( 12 February 2026) * **[Charities the most trusted institutions in the UK, research suggests](https://fundraising.co.uk/2024/06/27/charities-the-most-trusted-institution-in-the-uk-research-suggests/)( 27 June 2024)**