Chuggers: Street collectors for charities

Chuggers – are they a cause for public concern?

There has been much discussion in the media about the presence of on-street professional fundraisers. These paid agents are used by many charities to attract regular committed donors. They have suffered from a poor public image and are often referred to as ‘chuggers’, short for charity muggers. They have been criticised for being pushy, and because they operate in groups.

Recent research carried out by NICVA examined public opinion on the presence of chuggers on the streets of our cities and towns. Interestingly 57.7% of individuals find on-street professional fundraising a convenient method by which they can give to charity. Furthermore 59.1% of individuals believe on-street professional collectors help raise awareness about certain issues and causes. Less than one fifth of individuals (19.5%) believe they do not help raise awareness of issues and causes and a further 19.8% of individuals do not hold an opinion on the issue.

On-street professional fundraisers aim to attract regular committed donors and therefore they must obtain the donor’s bank details. There has been some criticism that asking someone for their bank details on often busy streets is too intrusive. It is important to examine how much of a concern this is for people in Northern Ireland.

Graph 1: On-street professional fundraising is an intrusive activity

Interestingly less than four in every ten individuals surveyed believe this form of fundraising is intrusive. In addition, NFP Synergy (2004) surveyed 984 individuals in the UK on issues that are off-putting, irritating or concerning about charities and on-street professional fundraisers were only nominated by 12% of respondents. This is somewhat surprising given the poor public image of this form of fundraising in the media.

This leads one to question, what is it about this form of fundraising that has created a negative image within the media?

Graph 2: I am concerned about the amount of my donation which is being used to pay professional fundraisers

Over half (55.5%) of individuals surveyed have concerns about the final destination of their monies. This may be partially attributed to the changing face of the on-street fundraiser. In the past on-street collectors were usually older women who stood with a plastic or tin box. Today professional on-street fundraisers are usually in their twenties, who are often students. This may raise the suspicions of the potential donor, to ask why are they doing fundraising, is it because they are dedicated to the particular cause or is it just a way to make money? These concerns can only be diminished if voluntary and community organisations clearly highlight how much money is spent on fundraising and administration and how much money reaches the intended destination. The general public should be reassured that voluntary and community organisations are spending their money effectively.

For further information on on-street chartiable donations or other types of individual charitable giving read the Charitable Giving in Northern Ireland report.

More information

For further information on this research contact Leeann Brady.

Leeann Brady
028 9087 7777