"…Hope is prevailing… (the sector) needs to share the positive stories to show that we are having an impact on the Cost of Living crisis...” - Pete Esuola-Grant
We spoke with Pete Esuola-Grant, Head of Planning at the GOOD Agency, to talk about their recently released Cost of Giving Monitor. This was the third wave of research conducted by the agency which was sparked by thoughts from senior fundraisers that there was a lack of live data about the impact of the cost of living crisis on the charity sector in the UK.
1. Make sure you look outwards
Research within the charity sector can sometimes be quite inward looking, GOOD wanted to make sure they were brining insights to the sector that also looked outwards to the public. It’s important to be “pleasantly challenged” in order to gain the best insights and make the most valuable improvements for the sector.
2. Cost of living crisis
A prevailing theme in the report is that the public do not feel that the sector is doing enough to help people who are in the depths of the Cost of Living crisis. There has been a shift in public sentiment with people now believing that charities should have more of a voice when it comes to political issues. A key learning is that charities should have campaigns which focus on the direct impact they’re having for beneficiaries during these difficult times, rather than just telling the public that as an organisation, they need support during this period.
3. 'Future proofing' the sector
The good news is the propensity to give is still positive across the UK. What needs to be considered is the nuances between the different giving audiences. Older generations do have more scepticism towards the sector as a whole whereas younger audiences tend to have less loyalty towards certain causes. To be strong for the future, organisations need to be thinking about how they can support younger audiences going forward for different moments in their upcoming lives.
This episode of Charity Chat has been brought to you by our platinum sponsor Work for Good. Work for Good believes everyone should be able to turn the work they do into good. Through their fundraising platform, they offer charities a way to engage and work with small businesses, including founders, owners and sole traders who want to make an impact for charities through their sales. To find out more, please visit workforgood.co.uk.
We hope you enjoy this week’s episode.