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.