Ten ways to boost giving

Donations from individuals are vital for the charity sector. In 2009/2010, individual giving totalled £10.1bn, 37% of the sector’s income. But individual giving is stagnant. For the last 20 years, donations as a share of total household spending have remained stable at 0.4%. Contrary to recent hype, giving is not increasing.

Faced with public spending cuts and austerity measures, charities are increasingly looking to individual philanthropy to boost their income. The government’s recent Giving Green Paper echoes these hopes. But more effort is needed to boost philanthropy, and overcome barriers to giving.

In this paper NPC suggests Ten ways to boost giving based on a decade of experience working to increase the volume and impact of philanthropy. Collaboration is needed between a number of groups, from banks to foundations and charities to government, to give UK giving a much-needed boost.

 It is simply a good thing if charities have more funding. That should be a moral imperative felt by everyone —companies, charities, politicians, and the media.

Martin Brookes, report author

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