Characteristics affecting charitable donations: empirical evidence from Britain

Abstract

The need for charity services in Britain is increasing, particularly since the introduction of government incentives such as ‘Care in the Community’. However, large scale surveys of individual giving in Britain have indicated that donations to charity are at best remaining static. Careful administrative use of funds and accurate targeting of donors are therefore vital to a charity’s survival. Utilises empirical data from a nation‐wide survey to investigate in how far it is possible to accurately identify likely donors. Provides suggestions on how such information may be utilised in formulating fund‐raising strategies.