Our latest research with the public has revealed that public irritation with fundraisers has declined. 

This week's blog explores how responsibility for social and environmental issues is distributed between citizens, government and business; whose job is it to make a positive difference in a problematic society?

There are over 160,000 charities in the UK, benefiting a wide range of causes from hospices to international development. We explore facts and figures to try and determine which of these causes appeal most to the general public, but find that the outcome depends on the criteria used.

The children and young people charity sector has seen a marked decline in popularity over the past few years. Our latest blog explores contextual factors and public perceptions affecting this sector; what, if anything, can individual charity brands do to restore a favourable view? 

How does a charity deal with the challenge of translating an unprecedented amount of one-off donations into the long-term support needed to make a lasting difference in the lives of beneficiaries?

The latest wave of nfpSynergy research in trust in charities and other public institutions shows that charities have recovered from the media coverage in the second half of 2015. 

Below are the key findings. Please download the full report for more details.

At nfpSynergy we published our six-monthly data on trust in charities this week. Last week the Charity Commission published their ‘every other year’ research on the same topic. Our research showed a significant increase in trust since the nadir of last autumn. But what else do we now know about the dynamics of trust and charities?

This report aims to provide information about public views on ideal charity spending, the importance of CEO pay in the public eye as well as the public’s perceptions about which activities count as ‘charitable’.

There are three main conclusions:

Next month nfpSynergy will be running its first ever research to find out how the people of Wales view charities. This will sit alongside our research in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and we are excited to find out how Welsh perceptions of charities differ to those of their Scottish and Northern Irish counterparts.

This research comes at a vital time as the Welsh charity sector has been facing some serious challenges. They’ve been affected by many of the issues facing the rest of the UK, including austerity and funding cuts combined with increasing demands for their services.

Freddie Pattisson did work experience with nfpSynergy in December 2015. Here are his thoughts on the morality and effectiveness of charity

Should you give? Science shows giving to charity is good for you. Neuroscientists have found that when someone makes the decision to donate the brain’s pleasure centers are activated in a similar way to eating chocolate or having sex[1].