This blog looks at why your profile and visibility is important for your brand and four examples of how to increase it.

This week's blog looks at the findings from our latest report on how to measure public giving and some of the pitfalls and challenges in doing so. 

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!

We've been sending out quite a few free reports recently, so we thought we'd put them all in one convenient place. Here's a preview of what's available:

The Politics of Charities

What do the public think about charities having the right to lobby? And what does it mean to MPs and journalists for charities to 'be political'?

Global Digital Fundraising

Global communication has opened up new opportunities to engage with communities and key audiences. So what does this mean for non-profits in different environments?

Segmenting your key audiences enables you to reach the right people with the right messages – the ones that will inspire people to make a difference will help you to grow your organisation and meet your objectives.

By building up a detailed picture of your different audiences, their attitudes and their motivations, you can tailor your communications so they have the highest chance of achieving the action you’re looking for. But researching, creating and implementing attitudinal segments are not easy or cheap exercises.

As Reform UK gathers a head of steam, charities are asking themselves fundamental questions. Should they engage with the party on policy issues like they would with any other? Or should a party with very different values from many in the sector be beyond the pale for charity public affairs teams? We debated this topic at nfpResearch in one of our recent monthly knowledge meetings. Views were split. Some colleagues argued that charities must take the pragmatic approach and work with those in power.

This October, our two directors, Cian and Tim, will be crossing the Atlantic for an important research and learning trip. With stops in Ottawa, New York and Denver, the visit will be anchored around two major events: the Imagine Canada Leadership Roundtable (7–9 October) and ComNet25 (15–17 October). Both will provide a chance to share our work, learn from peers and strengthen international connections.

Why these events matter

Charity brands don’t live in your logo, and they don’t live in your brand guidelines either. A brand exists where your charity exists in the minds of others – in what people believe you stand for, how you make them feel, and what they say about you when you’re not in the room.

Charities and nonprofits are under increasing pressure, but what do those pressures look like from the inside? From the funding landscape to workforce wellbeing, from shifting political winds to questions of public trust, it can be difficult to keep track of all the challenges and opportunities facing the sector in 2025.

There’s no shortage of conversation about risk in the charity world. But there’s far less data.

When I first started working in the charity sector, I had only a vague idea of what a charitable trust or foundation was. The names were often historic – usually a person long since deceased – and they seemed to sit quietly in the background, influential but invisible. I doubt I was alone in that confusion, but I wanted to find out for certain how the average person would get on explaining what these organisations are and  what they do.

What does the public know?