Donating to charity 'can lead to further good deeds', IoF finds

According to research commissioned by the Insitute of Fundraising, almost two-thirds of those who donate to charity then take other 'positive actions'.

Donating to charity can prompt people to carry out further good deeds for charities, new research commissioned by the Institute of Fundraising indicates.

A survey of more than 2,000 adults carried out by the research firm YouGov in February found that almost two-thirds (63 per cent) of people who donated to charity said they went on to take additional "positive actions", such as volunteering or signing a petition.

A report based on the survey, called Insights into Charity Fundraising: Changes in Knowledge, Attitude and Action as a Result of Donating, says that 16 per cent of respondents who’d donated went on to give time as a volunteer, 17 per cent signed up for a newsletter, joined a campaign or signed a petition, 19 per cent did further research on the cause, 22 per cent talked to friends, colleagues or family about the cause and the same percentage recommended the charity to others.

In a statement accompanying the report, which was published today, the IoF said the responses highlighted how "excellent fundraising and giving to charity can have a positive impact on the lives of people who choose to donate".

Forty-three per cent of respondents said they had changed their behaviour or felt more positive as a result of making a donation, with 24 per cent saying they felt better after donating, 15 per cent claiming to become more knowledgeable about social issues, 11 per cent saying they became more aware of health risks and 10 per cent saying they had made an effort to become more environmentally friendly in their everyday lives.

Women were more likely to take related actions after donating than men, researchers found, with 27 per cent becoming regular donors after making one-off donations, compared with 21 per cent of men.

According to the report, 19 per cent of women performed some form of volunteering, compared with 13 per cent of men, and 35 per cent discussed the charity or cause with others, compared with 22 per cent of men.

The IoF plans to release further results from its research into the public’s views and experiences of fundraising during May and June.

Daniel Fluskey, head of policy and research at the IoF, said: "Fundraising and the generosity of the public is vital for charities. But these remarkable findings show that supporting the causes we care about also has wider benefits for society and those donating.

"Whether going on to volunteer, signing a petition, learning about health risks or just feeling more positive, giving to a cause you care about is a good thing for those donating, as well as for charities in need of support."