How Did the Covid-19 Pandemic Impact Charitable Giving Trends?

HOW DID THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IMPACT CHARITABLE

Giving Trends?

Roman Semiokhin, serial investor and entrepreneur.

How Did

T H E COVI D -1 9 PA N D E M I C

C H A R I T A B L E

G I V I N G

I M PACT C H A R I TA B L E GIVING TRENDS? The Charities Aid Foundation’s UK Giving report reveals how the pandemic drove changes in donor behaviour.

One

commonly

observed

shift

dwindling to just 9% in May and June

throughout the pandemic was donors

of that same year.

giving online rather than face-to-face,

Overall, donation levels did not appear

no doubt driven by social distancing

to suffer significantly, predominantly

policies and restrictions on in-person

due to the continuation of a pre-

fundraising such as indoor events,

pandemic

door-to-door campaigns and street

donors giving more. However, as we

appeals. In March 2020, 13% of donors

emerge from the shadow of COVID-19,

gave via an app or website. By April

the bigger question is whether digital

2020, this figure had jumped to 24%.

donations will fill the gap created by

As online giving increased, donations

a sustained drop in cash donations.

in notes and coins became increasingly

One of the main concerns for charities

rare. Whereas 51% of respondents

today is adapting to a new hybrid

reported making cash donations in

mode of fundraising, evolving in line

2019, this figure fell to 38% in 2020,

with changes in donor behaviour.

trend

that

saw

fewer

ROMAN SEMIOKHIN To learn more about philanthropy, visit the blog of serial entrepreneur and dedicated philanthropist Roman Semiokhin.