Face-to-face fundraising (F2F) has remained “resilient”, according to a new report, which found a similar number of overall sign-ups since before the Covid-19 pandemic.
The F2F Fundraising Benchmarking Report, produced by the Chartered Institute of Fundraising (CIOF), estimated that £50m will be raised through donors signed up across 2024 in their first 12 months of giving.
Using data from 60 charities and 16 agencies, researchers found the total number of sign-ups in 2024 was over 685,000, comparable to 2019’s figure of over 696,000.
Door-to-door fundraising saw the biggest increase in engagement compared to 2019 and was the most successful form of F2F fundraising in 2024, with 284,000 sign-ups.
However, this was still not as high as 2022’s peak of over 300,000 for door-to-door fundraising, which the study described as a “post-pandemic anomaly”.
It cited anecdotal evidence for this phenomenon, such as many charities redeploying unspent budgets from the lockdown period once in-person activity resumed.
Meanwhile, street fundraising remained down from the pre-Covid years, at 35,100 sign-ups in 2024 compared to 70,200 sign-ups in 2019.
Influencing factors on sign-up levels
Report authors suggested that an increase in technology and payment developments, from flexible payment options to AI-driven reporting for campaign monitoring and performance management, were increasing sign-up levels by raising standards and bringing greater efficiencies and control.
They cited examples such as contactless payment and data capture as technology developments that bring stronger data security and more accuracy.
Another important development has been the move towards a more analytical, data and insight-led approach to territory planning and choosing venues and postcodes, the report says.
Fundraiser capacity and long-term recruitment and retention issues, as well as the closure of several fundraising agencies post-Covid, were noted as challenges in the report, with subcontracting rising to meet demand.
