Our recent research shows that the majority of the public aren’t aware of the Charity Commission. Only 43% of the public say they are aware of the Charity Commission (with 30% saying they are ‘definitely aware’ and 13% saying they are ‘aware’.). The rest either say they don’t know or they aren’t aware. Interestingly these figures have changed little since 2004 when we last asked this question in the same way (if anything they show a drop in awareness, but the methodology is different so it’s hard to be definitive).

Audience segmentation by attitude and lifestyle is just one of the ways that charities can make sure they get the right message across to the right audience. But what is the theory of segmentaiton? This presentation explores how charities can make sure they exract every ounce of value from their investment in research and marketing.

 Concern have been working with nfpSynergy to better understand supporters and potential supporters. nfpSynergy have a lot of experience working with charities so they have helped us to learn more about our donors and the wider market.  We have used insights gained to produce more targeted communications, because we now have a better knowledge of who our supporters are and what they expect from us.

Ambrose Duffy, when he was Head of Donor Marketing, Concern. He is now Director of Public Fundraising at UNICEF Ireland.

A lot of the nfpSynergy reports break through the business jargon that comes with the job and reminds us that it's still about the donor. It has to be a combination of business expertise and good old-fashioned empathy - who are our donors and what do they want?

Alison McCants, The Brooke

nfpSynergy helped us to compile and correlate the largest donor survey Guide Dogs has ever done.  They have been very professional and helpful, and their expertise in the charity sector is invaluable.

As nfpSynergy clients who attended our March Insights event and heard the presentation that forms the basis of this editorial will be aware, one of the themes to emerge in recent waves of our research is that while charitable giving levels in 2012 remain volatile, the picture is not bleak.

This seminar looked at a range of issues around charitable giving including donor motivations. It considered why some people do not support charities, how everyone might be persuaded to give and how they might be persuaded to give more.

This annual report describes broad patterns of giving to charity, year by year, using data from the Individual Giving Survey (IGS). UK Giving also presents analyses of several years’ data on gender and on how giving to specific causes clusters with other causes. Download the 2008 report using the link above.

This report was written to try and help organisations think about their fundraising with greater realism and to improve their chances of success. It is aimed at small organisations, those (however large) who are just starting to think about raising more voluntary income, or anybody else who finds it useful.

Download the report for free using the purple download form located beneath the 'share this resource' buttons. 

• Charity not high up wish-list of what people say constitutes “the meaning of Christmas”
• “Charities cannot take Christmas for granted but season still affords opportunity to cut through tinsel and tug at hearts”, says nfpSynergy’s Saxton

 The “Season of Goodwill” affords a mixed Santa’s sack for British charities, according to research out today.