Digital Fundraising Sees Surge in Popularity During Lockdown

The National Funding Scheme conducted research among charities using their DONATE™ platform to assess how lockdown impacted fundraising strategies. The findings reveal a significant and lasting shift toward digital methods.

Key Research Findings

An overwhelming majority - 83% of charities - changed their fundraising approach during lockdown. Traditional physical events declined dramatically, with more than half of the charities reporting a 50% decrease in income from this channel. Charity retail shops experienced similar downturns.

However, the digital transition sparked innovation. Charities developed virtual festivals, hardship funds, online dog shows, and other creative campaigns that reached supporters who would never have attended a traditional in-person event.

Notable Campaign Successes

The research highlighted several standout campaigns:

• Food4Heroes auction - £25,000 raised
• Intensive Care Society - £145,000 through text and web giving
• Ruth Strauss Foundation - Over £250,000 during a text giving promotion

Growing Adoption Trends

Text giving emerged as a leading channel, with 52% using the channel to fundraise. Additionally, 69% of respondents expect mobile giving to increase on last year. Text raffles, online auctions, and contactless giving all saw increased usage across the sector.

Future Outlook

Nearly all surveyed charities expect digital fundraising to become permanent:

• Just 6% believe that digital giving would return to pre-lockdown levels
• 85% believe digital fundraising will grow faster than trend due to lockdown

These findings confirm what many in the sector suspected: the pandemic has permanently accelerated the transition to digital-first fundraising. Charities that invest in digital channels now will be better positioned for long-term income resilience.

Contact the DONATE™ team to find out how your organisation can make the most of this shift.