54% of people say they’re now happy to take part in physical events
Melanie May | 23 March 2022 | News
Over half – 54% – of the public now say they’re happy to take part in physical events, with strong interest also in virtual and hybrid events, according to Enthuse’s latest Donor Pulse survey.
58% and 63% respectively say they’re interested in virtual and hybrid events. Overall, 48% of the public expect to take part in a fundraising event in the next six months, rising to 65% for under 40s.
The social and wellbeing elements of fundraising are key drivers for those wanting to take part. 46% want to participate in smaller and more socially driven activities. Exercise challenges which contribute to health goals also have wide appeal with 44% interested in taking part, and 37% want to get involved in large group events such as fun runs and walks.
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For under 40s, taking part as a team was the biggest motivator, while team participation ranked as the second biggest motivator for all age groups.
While there is growing confidence for getting involved with in-person events, one in five people say they are still avoiding making any major plans and a further 34% say they are not making as many plans as they used to. Covid remains the biggest reason behind this caution but it is only slightly ahead of financial concerns.
64% of Gen Z cite financial concerns as the biggest obstacle to planning, whereas only 22% of 65-80 year olds do. On the other hand, Covid ranks as a concern for just over a third of 18-24 year olds, but rises to 78% for 65-80 year olds.
The cost of giving
Enthuse’s latest edition of the quarterly Donor Pulse report explores the financial position of the public and how this has changed over the last six months, the driving forces behind it, and what it means for fundraising.
It also found that over half – 53% – of the public currently say their financial situation makes it harder to donate, with 46% of people saying they are worse off financially than six months ago.
However, despite this, three quarters of the public are planning to donate in the next three months.
The rising cost of living has hit the finances of all age groups, according to Enthuse’s research. Gen Z (18-24) is the best placed with around a third (36%) feeling better off and the same amount feeling worse off. Other age groups are struggling more however, with half of Gen X stating they are worse off and more than half (53%) of Baby Boomers saying the same.
Gas and electricity prices as well as other cost of living changes were the most common reasons stated for people feeling worse off at 67% and 58% respectively. When looking at the links between these areas, those who feel better off are likely to have been less impacted by day to day costs such as heating price increases.
And overall, while 38% say their ability to give is about the same, just 1 in 10 state that they would find it easier to donate than six months ago.
Intent on giving
Despite the economic pressures, three-quarters of the public are planning to donate in the next three months. This is both an increase on the last quarter and an 8 percentage point rise on this time last year.
76% of the public have also donated over the last three months, a record high since Enthuse launched this research in September 2020. 81% of under 40s gave during the last quarter, along with 72% of over 40s – the highest level for that age group since the start of the pandemic.
The number of people donating online also hit a record high over the last quarter; 45% of the public has supported a charity this way. 81% of donors say they remember the charity when they donate through the organisation’s site, but only 56% of people remember the name of the charity when going through a consumer giving platform.
Commenting on the research, Chester Mojay-Sinclare, Enthuse Founder and CEO, said:
“It’s clear that the cost of living crisis is only just beginning and is set to impact everyone over the coming months. The encouraging news for charities is that the public’s generosity over the last quarter has been strong and the intention to give to charitable causes remains high.
“People want to donate in spite of money becoming tighter. We may see the average donation size drop as the cost of giving sets in, so it’s more important than ever that charities cultivate long term supporter relationships through their own channels. Building connections with younger donors sets charities up for success beyond the short term.”
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.