Individual Giving in Northern Ireland 2015

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PDF icon 2015 Infographic436.51 KB
PDF icon Results Summary432.91 KB

NICVA's latest research into charitable giving in Northern Ireland examined who donated to charity, how much they gave and the causes they supported. This year's Survey also examined participation in social media fundraising campaigns. 

NICVA's Individual Giving Survey 2015 is the next in a series of research which examines trends of charitable giving in Northern Ireland. This year's Survey explored the following:

  • Proportion of people that gave to charity over a four week and twelve month period
  • Trends in giving according to age, gender and geography
  • Average donations
  • Causes supported by donors
  • Social media fundraising campaigns

Millward Brown was commissioned by NICVA to undertake a face-to-face questionnaire survey for the Individual Giving research between 22 September and 9 October 2015.  Following an initial random selection of 60 sampling points (spread over approximately 100 electoral wards), a quota sampling methodology was utilised. The final sample was weighted to be representative of the Northern Ireland 16+ year’s population in terms of gender, age, social class and region. The survey was completed by a sample of 1000. 

Key findings from NICVA's 2015 Individual Giving Survey are listed below and are also displayed in the attached infographic. A more detailed overview of the findings is presented in the attached summary.

  • Over half (57%) of the sample donated to charity over a four week period.
  • The majority of the sample (81%) donated to charity in the 12 months prior to the Survey.
  • Women and those aged 55-64 years were the groups most likely to donate.
  • Tyrone/Fermanagh, Derry and Antrim were the most charitable regions, with 60% of respondents in these areas donating to charitable causes.
  • The average amount donated to charity was £17.44 per head of population. This figure is almost unchanged since the 2013 Individual Giving Survey.
  • A continuing trend in this research series is that males are more likely to donate more money to charitable causes than females. 
  • Health remains the most popular charitable cause amongst donors, while religious/ faith based causes are likely to receive the largest average donations from donors.
  • Over the last 4 years, there has been a steady downward trend in the proportion of people that donate gifts in kind to charity.
  • Over one-fifth (21%) of the sample had participated in a social media fundraising campaign in the last 12 months, and these activities prompted many people to donate to causes to which they would not normally donate. 
  • The most popular social media fundraising campaign was the Ice Bucket Challenge. 

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