The rise of the ‘citizen fundraiser’: how to adapt when supporters take matters into their own hands
Howard Lake | 19 August 2026 | News
Fundraising think tank Rogare has published an updated, expanded framework on nonprofit disintermediation in its latest white paper, Death by a thousand cuts: How other actors are displacing charities from giving, asking for support, and providing help.
Produced in collaboration with Kingston University Business School, the paper builds on Rogare’s initial 2023 typology published in the Journal of Philanthropy and Marketing. (The paper is available for free access at Wiley.com). The updated work provides a comprehensive analysis of the mechanisms by which non-profit organisations are bypassed or cut out from giving, asking, and service delivery.
Control of donor relationships
A key focus of the report is identifying who controls the relationship with stakeholders, particularly donors. The authors assert that the degree of control held by third-party intermediaries (such as commercial platforms, corporate giving setups, philanthropy advisers, donor-advised funds, and giving circles), serves as a primary indicator of whether disintermediation is occurring.
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The paper highlights that while overall giving to traditional charities may appear to decline, individuals may not necessarily be growing less altruistic. Instead, pro-social intentions are increasingly directed through alternative channels, such as ethical consumerism, direct peer-to-peer support, and independent crowdfunding.
Introducing the ‘citizen fundraiser’
To capture better these shifting behaviours, the paper introduces the concept of the “citizen fundraiser”. This term describes individuals who take the initiative to raise money, raise awareness, or mobilise resources outside the formal structures and reach of charity fundraising departments.
Ian MacQuillin, director of Rogare, explained that traditional definitions of “volunteers” no longer fully describe the self-directed actions of modern supporters.
Ceri Edwards, executive director of engagement at the Chartered Institute of Fundraising (CIoF) and president of the European Fundraising Association, noted:
“The concept of the ‘citizen fundraiser’ is helpful precisely because it describes something distinct from a traditional volunteer role. The evidence on peer-to-peer giving illustrates how much activity now takes place through individual fundraising pages rather than charities’ own channels. That creates opportunity, but it can also leave charities with limited visibility of, or influence over, the supporter experience”.
A four-phase initiative for reintermediation
The launch of the white paper marks the conclusion of phase one in a four-phase joint initiative between Rogare and Kingston University. Subsequent phases of the project will examine the motivations behind bypassing nonprofits and assess the overall impact on the sector.
Throughout 2027, Rogare and Kingston Business School will collaborate with the CIoF to help charities “reintermediate” into the processes and relationships from which they have been excluded. The practical phase will feature symposia, workshops, and focus groups designed to help organisations reclaim grounded stewardship with donors.
Dr Rita Kottasz of Kingston University commented that understanding these changing patterns is essential if non-profits are to maintain meaningful connections with the public over the coming decade.
Take my advice
The research includes examining the role of philanthropy advisers as part of this disintermediation.
Rogare Critical Fundraising Network member Cherian Koshy (vice president of Kindsight) has published a supplementary discussion paper on this topic to support this overall research, Take My Advice.
The full white paper, along with graphical visualisations of the expanded typology, can be accessed via the Rogare website.
- Rogare launches manifesto for the fundraiser (31 May 2022)
- Rogare highlights fundraisers’ academic research and its practical applications (28 July 2021)
- Fundraising think tank devises typology for disintermediated giving (15 September 2023)
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About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.