It's Christmas time and as per tradition we're giving away 12 more of our reports. They address key issues like lobbying, fundraising and trust, plus a couple of niche ones like Gift Aid and media spending. Enjoy!

Global communication has created possibilities and connections, but also some problems. It has, however, opened up new opportunities for non-profits everywhere to engage with their communities and key audiences. We know digital fundraising is an area for growth, but what does this mean for non-profits in different environments? What are they doing in very diverse cultures and developmental stages? Is this an area they should be investing in?

The not-for-profit sector is, by its very nature, innovative. Charities exist to respond to an unmet need or to drive change. But what does innovation actually mean? And what are charities really doing to develop innovation processes, cultures and, more importantly, results? 

In 2004, nfpSynergy produced a report called “Innovation Rules!” to better understand the not-for-profit sector’s attitude and approach to innovation. Nine years later, we were intrigued to see whether charities had developed their approach to innovation and the impact it has on the work they do. 

In early 2012 the John Ellerman Foundation embarked on a strategic review to find out what a model grant-maker looks like in the eyes of applicants and grantees, and compare practices in the grant-making sector. nfpSynergy was commissioned to carry out independent research with charities and their fundraisers. This report is a result of that research.

In preparation for what will inevitably be an eventful year for charities, this week our team hosted a free webinar where we explored what to expect for 2024. From changing donor habits, shifting public trust, and an upcoming general election, we believe that it’s never been more important for the sector to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to strategy. We appreciate everyone who was able to join us for our online event, but don’t worry if you couldn’t make it: today we’re sharing our key takeaways from UK Charities: Planning your 2024 strategy. 

Sarah Clarke

CharityComms was launched in 2007 with a mission to improve the standard of communications and champion its role in the sector.

Today nfpResearch is launching its first Small Charity Research Award. This is an opportunity for a charity with an income under £1 million / €1 million to receive a £10,000 research project for free. The nfpResearch team will work closely with the successful charity to design a research project to fulfil your charity and research objectives. 

In the early 1900’s, Unilever co-founder Lord Leverhulme surmised a problem just as relevant now as it was a century ago: “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don't know which half.” Benchmarking success in marketing and advertising has always presented this problem, with any sort of understanding relying heavily on retroactive review once your marketing budget is already spent.

Ben Roberts

The fourth in our series of reports on the impact of Covid-19 on charities, this weeks blog summarises our findings from 20 interviews conducted in May/June with charities of varied sizes and sectors on their experience of the pandemic, as well as hopes and fears for the future.