Charities’ volunteer fundraisers are losing on average £25 each in uncollected donations at every fundraising event they complete, according to new research.

When fundraisers rely on paper collections forms, only two out of five fundraisers always collect all of the sponsorship money pledged, according to research conducted by Virgin Money Giving. More than half (52 per cent) said that they sometimes fail to collect some of the money owed and the remaining 8 per cent always fail to collect some of the money promised. 

Predictably, the online fundraising website suggests that increasing online donations could be the answer.

Jo Barnett, executive director at Virgin Money Giving, said: “Online giving services can help fundraisers ensure they collect pledges ad also maximise the donations by adding gift aid which is another 28 per cent in tax relief.”

However donors still appear to be reluctant to donate online. Figures from the government’s Giving Green Paper, published last December, show that while 58 per cent of donors shop online just 7 per cent donate online.