There is less public demand for places at in-person fundraising events than before the pandemic, according to a project assessing the ongoing affects of the crisis.
Six in ten charity respondents, which had organised in-person events, told Pro Bono Economics (PBE) that there was lower public demand for places than in a typical year.
The latest version of the Covid Charity Tracker by PBE, in partnership with Charity Finance Group (CFG) and the Chartered Institute of Fundraising (CIoF), found that 54% of respondents do not expect their events fundraising to return to pre-pandemic levels before the end of the year.
Charities were surveyed prior to confirmation that the final stage of releasing restrictions in England had been delayed. Around 260 responded.
Charity sector’s challenges ‘risk being overlooked’
A significant proportion, 70%, of respondents said that they expect the pandemic to continue to have a negative effect on their ability to deliver their objectives over the next 12 months.
Charity leaders now warn that the long-term issues are at “risk of being overlooked”.
Jack Larkham, research and policy analyst at Pro Bono Economics, said: “With all the positive talk of the economy bouncing back strongly as the country moves on from the worst of the pandemic, the very real challenges facing the social sector risk being overlooked.
“Charities have seen demand for their services rocket during the pandemic, with the long-lasting impact of the crisis meaning that situation is set to persist even as the country recovers.”
Daniel Fluskey, head of policy and external affairs at the Chartered Institute of Fundraising, said: “The findings of this research provide a timely reminder that a ‘return to normal’ is still a way off for many charities across the UK. While the country emerges from lockdown, many charities are only able to offer reduced level of services as they deal with the ongoing consequences of the reduction in fundraising activity.”
Caron Bradshaw OBE, CEO of Charity Finance Group, said: “It’s a great relief that charities are once again able to fundraise through events and other face-to-face activities and that the general public continue to give generously. However, those who have had to make redundancies and other cuts no longer have the same resources at their disposal and this will inevitably reduce their ability to deliver for the people and causes they support.
“At the same time, we expect demand for services to continue rising and therefore the gap between income and demand will continue to widen. The sector is not out of the woods yet and the shock of the pandemic will continue to be felt for many months and even years yet. For many charities – including those smaller ones at the heart of their local communities – it’s going to be a long, hard road to recovery meaning potentially unmet need and beneficiaries going without support for some time to come.”
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