Scandals about charity organisations, such as that Oxfam faced, in which allegations were made that some of its aid workers used prostitutes in Haiti while they were working in the relief effort, have caused a major decline in people’s trust in non-profit organisations.

Integrated PR and creative communications agency the Agency Partnership and fundraising charity communications agency Killer Creative has studied the perpetual support for the UK charities, despite the crisis in trust the sector has recently suffered, in a research conducted with the help of international Internet-based market research and data analytics firm YouGov. The results were derived from an online interview administered to members of the YouGov’s panel consisting of more than 800,000 individuals who have consented to their participation in surveys. 

Ignoring the negative headlines, aggressive fundraising campaigns and suspicions over where the money from the donations actually go, more than half of respondents claimed that they are no less likely to donate to good causes, while 17% were willing to ‘give more.’

Macmillan Cancer Support, Cancer Research UK, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Dogs Trust and the RSPCA top the list of the most loved charities, revealing that cancer and animal charities are received exceptionally well. Not surprising as demographically, the research revealed that the most passionate supporters of at least one charity are retired women, living in northeast England and coming from a working class background.

Blair Metcalfe, CEO and creative lead at the Agency Partnership, says, “While the top five are cancer and animal related causes, there are some surprising absences who aren’t feeling the public’s ‘love;’ namely children’s charities, and age-related causes. The reasons for this might well extend beyond the causes themselves, to the very actions that a charity undertakes including marketing and communications, fundraising, and the transparency they display.”

Despite older generations being more likely to participate in charity donations, the crisis in trust was more substantial to those over 55’s that to those under 24’s, with 54% and 35% trusting charities less, respectively. Furthermore, donations from the young generation have increased by 21% for 18-24 year-olds and by 18% for 25-34 year-olds.

While 66% of respondents seem indifferent to the ways charities chose to raise money, there are specific points of concern that directly affect the trust people have in charities. For example, 71% people were worried about how charities spend their donations, an unsurprisingly large percentage after the negative press charities have received lately. Additionally, 64% of respondents were put off by media headlines, 63% were put off by the staff’s low salaries, 59% were put off by aggressive fundraising campaigns and 46% were showed concern over advertising costs.

The research highlighted the importance of providing people with at least one piece of substantial information about the charity that they are going to support, with 87% of respondents having this request. This information can vary, with 77% of people wanting details of where the money is spent and 13% wanting to know the number of professionals a charity employs. The results show a clear desire for transparency that will create a better relationship between the organisations and their supporters.

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