Our annual look on behalf of Fundraising Ireland at Irish citizens views on charities, donation behaviour and preferences, and the impact of different media. Sponsored by An Post.

1. 1Donor Insights
Donor Insights
An Amárach Presentation // January 2016 //

2. 2Donor Insights
Methodology
The questions analysed in this report were
included in Amárach’s monthly online
omnibus poll of 1,000 adults aged 16+.
The most recent omnibus fieldwork was
conducted during 11th-18th January 2016
inclusive.
Weighting was applied to make them
representative of the total adult population
in Ireland, in accordance with standard
sampling practice.
Where possible, comparisons have been
made with the results of previous surveys.
The results of a survey of members of
Fundraising Ireland will be reported
separately.

3. Trends Report
Trust
Issues

4. 4Donor Insights
Trust Issues
17%
14%
25%
17%
20%
7%
1%
10%
11%
26%
19%
23%
9%
1%
15%
14%
24%
23%
17%
5%
2%
No trust at all Distrust Somewhat
distrust
Neither/nor Somewhat trust Trust Trust
completely
2014 2015 2016
Q. How much do you feel you can trust Irish charities nowadays?

5. 5Donor Insights
Trust Issues
10%
75%
15%
Yes No Don't Know
Q. Do you think Irish charities are doing enough to build trust with their donors?

6. 6Donor Insights
Uninformed
Q. How much do you feel you know about what charities do with the money you
donate to them? % Good Knowledge
30% 30% 30%
32% 33% 32% 33%
23%
All
Adults
Male Female 16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+

7. 7Donor Insights
Tell Me More
Q. Would you like to hear more from charities about how they use donations
including yours? % Yes
70% 69%
72% 74%
68%
74%
66%
70%
All Adults Male Female 16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+
72%
would
like to
hear by
email;
26%
by post

8. Trends Report
Still
Giving

9. 9Donor Insights
End of Charity Recession?
Average amount donated to charity:
€15.00
€10.00
€12.50
€16.40
2005 2014 2015 2016

10. 10Donor Insights
Charitable Channels
Q. How do you normally make donations to charity?
Q. What was the value of your last donation (x method)?
Methods of Donation to Charity
All
Adults
Male Female 16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+
€
Average
In a charity shop 51% 48% 54% 57% 51% 53% 50% 46% €20
Church, street, or shopping centre
collection
45% 42% 48% 38% 38% 46% 51% 53% €6
Bought charity raffle ticket 39% 39% 39% 28% 30% 42% 48% 46% €8
Via text message 14% 11% 18% 17% 18% 22% 13% 6% €4
Donations through websites 14% 14% 15% 10% 22% 15% 11% 13% €39
Have a direct debit to a charity 13% 15% 11% 5% 11% 10% 13% 23% €42
Door to door collection 13% 15% 11% 7% 12% 12% 13% 16% €8
Donation by post 7% 9% 6% 1% 3% 6% 8% 16% €38
By mobile app 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 1% €3
By telephone 2% 2% 1% 1% 2% 1% 1% 2% €10
Give to collectors or needy on the
streets or collection boxes in shops
1% 1% 2% 1% 2% 2% 1% 1% n/a
I don’t give money to charity 7% 9% 5% 8% 9% 6% 7% 5% n/a

11. 11Donor Insights
Christmas Giving
Q. Did you make a specific donation in response to a Christmas appeal in 2015?
If yes, was it more, same or less than year before (or didn’t make one before)?
33%
59%
30%
5% 6%
Donated to
Christmas
Appeal
Same as
last year
More than
last year
Less than
last year
No donation
previous
Xmas

12. Trends Report
People
& Pay

13. 13Donor Insights
Pay Levels
29%
22%
39%
6% 5%
23% 23%
44%
7%
3%
Strongly agree Slightly agree Neither/nor Slightly disagree Strongly disagree
2015 2016
Q. Agreement with statements:
“Wages in the charity sector are too high”

14. 14Donor Insights
The Best People
36%
32%
21%
7%
4%
27%
33%
27%
9%
4%
Strongly agree Slightly agree Neither/nor Slightly disagree Strongly disagree
2015 2016
Q. Agreement with statement:
“Charities should get the best professionals possible to work for them”

15. 15Donor Insights
Competitive Wages
15%
26%
29%
19%
11%10%
28%
36%
15%
11%
Strongly agree Slightly agree Neither/nor Slightly disagree Strongly disagree
2015 2016
Q. Agreement with statement:
“Charities need to pay competitive wages to get the best people to work for them”

16. 16Donor Insights
Senior Management – I
13%
22%
24%
21% 20%
9%
21%
33%
20%
17%
Strongly agree Slightly agree Neither/nor Slightly disagree Strongly disagree
2015 2016
Q. Agreement with statements:
“Senior management in charity sector should get same pay level as those
in similar sized companies in private sector”

17. 17Donor Insights
Senior Management – II
22%
29%
32%
11%
5%
19%
27%
37%
13%
4%
Strongly agree Slightly agree Neither/nor Slightly disagree Strongly disagree
2015 2016
Q. Agreement with statements:
“Senior management in charity sector should be paid less than senior
management in similar sized companies in private sector”

18. Trends Report
Driving
Donations

19. 19Donor Insights
Direct Persuasion
21% 21%
23%
19%
20% 20%
12%
25%
24%
23% 23%
22%
20% 20%
15%
14%
Direct mail Door-to-door Tv advert Via website Press advert On-street rep Via email Text message Telephone
call
2015 2016
Q. Likelihood of signing up to direct debit to a charity by contact method:
% fairly/very/extremely likely

20. 20Donor Insights
Lasting Impressions – I
40%
28%
31%
29%
26%
14%
11%
38%
36%
32%
29%
26%
15%
10%
8%
5%
Tv advert Via email Via website Press advert Direct mail Door-to-door On-street rep Text message Telephone
call
2015 2016
Q. Impact of different charity communications on personal feelings: Feeling Informed

21. 21Donor Insights
Lasting Impressions – II
31%
21%
16%
15%
13%
14%
10%
30%
24%
15%
14%
12% 12%
8% 8%
7%
Direct mail Via email Tv advert Via website Press advert Door-to-door On-street rep Telephone
call
Text message
2015 2016
Q. Impact of different charity communications on personal feelings: Feeling Valued

22. 22Donor Insights
Lasting Impressions – III
13%
15%
17%
27% 27%
38%
48%
54%
56%
Press advert Via website Tv advert Direct mail Via email Text message On-street rep Telephone
call
Door-to-door
Q. Impact of different charity communications on personal feelings: Feeling Irritated

23. 23Donor Insights
Conclusions
The economic recovery is feeding through
to higher levels of donations to charity
But the trust recovery is lagging behind and
in danger getting worse before it gets better
The general public still have unrealistic
expectations about the ‘economics’ of
running modern charities – but are
interested in learning more about what
charities do
They are also open to more digital
interaction with charities – but the traditional
means of collecting and communicating
remain just as important as before.

24. Trends Report
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