There are over 160,000 charities in the UK¹, 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. When asked, the public name clear favourites such as cancer and animals, but when their donating and volunteering preferences are considered the picture is far from clear.

Joe Saxton looks at what the coming decade looks like for charities

It’s been a tough summer for charities in the media. From executive pay to fundraising practices, the third sector is experiencing a level of scrutiny they are unused to (and some would say unprepared for). In July, our research with the general public, the Charity Awareness Monitor (CAM), found that almost half (49%) of people recalled having seen media coverage about charity fundraising methods.

As it's the season of goodwill, we're giving away The 12 Insights of Christmas. They look at some of the key issues facing the charity sector and include research, interviews and advice from charities and from us. Unwrap our 12 free reports just in time for Christmas.

1. A Hidden Gem - Resilience report from the Clore Social Leadership Programme

nfpSynergy has created this report to contribute to the knowledge of charities, policy makers and community organisations work¬ing to support young people involved with and affected by street violence, explore the facts about young people’s involvement in street violence and identify the groups most at risk and examine the solutions proposed by charities and not-for-profit organisations working to sup¬port young people with their needs and aspirations to prevent them becoming offenders.

A representative sample of the UK population was asked to identify which of a variety of groups involved with charities was paid or unpaid. The results showed that while the public was right about whether directors and chief executives were paid (around 90% thought they were definitely or probably paid) far less accuracy was seen for trustees and fundraisers (only 8% thought trustees were definitely unpaid and only 6% thought fundraisers were definitely paid). Indeed more thought that trustees are paid than fundraisers.

Not for profit think-tank nfpSynergy has teamed up with The ImpACT Coalition to produce a free, short, practical report and guide that will empower charities to formulate and communicate simple messages, including pithy pub facts, needed to dispel a range of debilitating misperceptions their stakeholders may have, both about themselves and the wider third sector.