Managing in a Downturn survey

A fifth of charity professionals say that increasing media scrutiny of the sector is having a negative impact on their fundraising, according to the latest Managing in a Downturn survey.

The report, entitled Managing in the New Normal, is the seventh in the series of surveys produced by the professional services firm PwC for the Institute of Fundraising and Charity Finance Group.

The report is based on a survey of 467 charity professionals carried out in January and February this year.

90 percent of the fundraisers and finance professionals polled said they felt charities had fallen under a negative spotlight and felt media interest and scrutiny of the charity sector had increased this year. One in five said this had impacted negatively on their fundraising, the survey shows. 

In response to growing scrutiny, 49 percent of charities have taken steps to improve transparency and the disclosure of financial information during the last year, the survey shows.

This year, 45 percent of charities will be increasing transparency around administration/governance costs and 43 percent around the cost of fundraising, it finds.

Last year, 89 percent of charities expected the year ahead to be tougher for fundraising, but this survey finds that 77 percent thought that had been the case.

In this year’s report, 68 percent said the next 12 months will be tougher for fundraisers.

Two thirds of respondents reported the demand for their services had increased over the last year, with the same proportion expecting further increase in the year ahead, the survey shows. It finds, 27 percent said they were aiming to deliver more with the same resources as last year and 16 percent said they would have to make cuts in other services to meet demand.

To download the report visit www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk/library/managing-in-the-new-normal.