The Chartered Institute of Fundraising (CIOF) has reported a second consecutive deficit as its income dropped last year.
CIOF posted a deficit of £187,000 in 2025, a similar amount to the year before, as its total income fell by 8% to £4.43m.
The membership body cited higher demand for charity services and increased living costs as reasons for the drop.
Income from CIOF’s largest area of earning – training and events – fell to £1.48m in 2025 from £1.72 the year before.
CIOF offset last year’s overall income decline by reducing its spending by 8% to £4.62m, its 2025 accounts show.
This month, the membership body, which employed 40 people in 2025, began consulting on restructure plans including redundancies, in a bid to save £200,000.
Earlier this year, CIOF announced that this year’s two-day Fundraising Convention would be its last, with plans to hold two one-day events in 2027 instead.
‘Challenging external environment’
Meanwhile, regional and special interest group income at CIOF dropped to £216,000 last year from £313,000 in 2024.
Its corporate sponsorship income also fell to £191,000 in 2025 from £221,000 the year prior.
The membership body held £551,000 in free reserves at the end of last year, less than 2024’s amount of £668,000.
“We will continue to plan and budget in future years to maintain the required level of reserves, whilst also investing for the future as and when required,” the accounts read.
A CIOF spokesperson told Civil Society: “Like many other charities, we are operating in an increasingly challenging external environment, which includes rising costs to deliver impact and value for our members.
"We are exploring how best we can align our organisation with our 10-year strategy and strengthen our financial sustainability for the future.”
CIOF reiterated in its accounts that its 10-year strategy, published in June, would be key to addressing the fundamental problems facing fundraising in the charity sector.
“Our new purpose addresses these challenges through four pillars of work, aiming to double our impact within a decade by reversing the decline in giving and creating a sustainable future for fundraising focused on inspiring people to give,” the accounts read.
