Community events will be more ‘recession-proof' than other fundraising techniques, according to the chief executive of the Prostate Cancer Charity, John Neate. The charity, which has recently launched a four-year strategy, is celebrating unexpectedly high returns from its Movember event, where men are sponsored to grow moustaches to raise money and awareness of prostate cancer.

Leading US major donors have said the collapse of the financial markets will not affect their charitable contributions, with some promising 10 per cent increases in 2009. The commitments comes as the Council of Foundations estimates that some foundations may have lost up to 30 per cent of their assets in the stock market crash.Despite its parent company's receipt of a billion-dollar bail out package, the Ford Foundation declared that it will increase its donations by 10 per cent and protect its central programmes from cuts.

Cash donations to charity fell in a year by £367m even before the credit crunch really hit, according to the latest UK Giving Survey, and cash donations remain the most popular way to give.  

Christian charities have accused The Big Give of pulling the plug on last week’s matched donation offer to Christian groups because its owner, the agnostic Reed Foundation, did not want to give the lion’s share of the cash to religious organisations. The website’s funders could now be facing legal action, with one of the two aggrieved charities reportedly in consultation with lawyers.