*Updated July 2026.
Key Takeaways
-
Income growth and supporter acquisition are becoming greater priorities.
-
Retention remains essential to long-term fundraising success.
-
Integrated channels can create stronger supporter journeys.
-
Digital innovation should complement proven channels such as direct mail.
-
External fundraising support can help charities respond to changing demands.
Our objectives drive our individual giving fundraising activities. Are they changing in light of macro changes?
In this blog, we explore key findings from the Woods Valldata 2024 Individual Giving Survey and insights shared during Woods Valldata’s The Lowdown webinar.
The webinar includes first hand accounts by leading fundraisers: Alice Herzog (IRC), Nesha Kandiah (RNIB), and Jenni Roberts (RNLI), these trends highlight how the sector is adapting to new challenges and opportunities – and how fundraising services for charities can help charities achieve their objectives.
The Importance of Individual Giving Fundraising
Individual giving fundraising provides vital income for UK charities to support their services and their beneficiaries. In fact, donations and legacies represent 31% of charitable income according to the Charity Commission for England and Wales. According to BlackBaud, individual giving ranks third most important income stream after legacies and grants for large charities.
For fundraisers, this is one of the most rewarding and challenging areas to work in. With an ever-changing economic and social landscape we need to constantly review and assess our objectives so that we can meet the needs of our charity mission.
Here are five key objectives for individual giving fundraisers who want to future-proof their fundraising and adapt to new realities of individual giving - in light of research conducted by Woods Valldata.
5 Key Objectives for Individual Giving Fundraising
1. The Current Priorities in Individual Giving Fundraising
The Woods Valldata Individual Giving 2024 survey data reveals a shift in the main objectives of individual giving fundraising. While supporter retention dominated in 2023, 2024 has seen a rise in income growth and supporter acquisition as top priorities. This change reflects the pressing need for many charities to expand their donor base and increase revenue to meet growing demands for services.
Retention Remains Significant
Retention remains significant, with 50% of survey respondents citing it as a key goal, but its relative prominence has decreased compared to the previous two years. This indicates that while retention strategies still underpin long-term success, many charities are prioritising short-term income growth such as cash and emergency appeals to sustain operations now.
2. Breaking Down Siloes and Integrating Different Channels
A notable trend is the increasing focus on integrating fundraising approaches across channels and breaking down internal silos. These objectives, closely tied to income growth and acquisition, highlight the importance of collaboration within charities.
Encouraging Cross-Departmental Collaboration
As Jenni Roberts from RNLI shared, cross-departmental initiatives can drive donor engagement by aligning legacy programs, retail operations, and other touchpoints with individual giving strategies.
By fostering collaboration internally, and externally with suppliers, charities can create seamless donor journeys that enhance both acquisition and retention efforts. Ultimately contributing to greater income stability.
3. Digital Growth and Innovation as Enablers
Charities are also focusing their efforts around developing digital tools and innovative approaches in individual giving fundraising.
According to the survey, the relative importance of these objectives across the years remain steady, and were seen by the webinar panel and attendees alike as essential in supporting acquisition and retention efforts.
Exploring Digital Lotteries and New Audiences
For instance, Nesha Kandiah from RNIB emphasised the potential of digital lotteries and gaming to attract high-quality donors with strong lifetime value. Similarly, charities like IRC are leveraging digital channels to diversify their acquisition efforts and reach new audiences.
Using Innovation to Improve Relevance
Innovation allows organisations to take advantage of the latest technologies and techniques. This could include integrating AI into data selections for a more personalised approach, reflecting on donor motivations to tailor offerings and make them more relevant or, creating products that resonate with a different audience demographic.
Balancing Digital With Proven Channels
It’s clear that digital and digital innovation are high in priority for many charities. But we should not divert all our attentions to the new.
According to a poll of 77 people during the webinar, direct mail continues to deliver a significant proportion of individual giving fundraising income.
Respondents attributed 68% of cash appeal income and 30% of regular giving income to direct mail.
4. Recognising Retention’s Role
Although the survey data suggests the spotlight for individual giving fundraising objectives is on income growth and acquisition, retention remains a cornerstone of successful individual giving programmes.
Supporting Loyal Donor Bases
Smaller and regional charities, in particular, benefit from loyal donor bases that may require only a little stewardship to stay engaged. For larger charities, retention efforts often involve inspiring repeat giving through meaningful engagement strategies.
Balancing Growth and Supporter Care
Jenni Roberts highlighted RNLI’s balance between income growth and supporter care. By treating existing donors well and fostering loyalty, RNLI ensures long-term income stability whilst also driving new acquisition efforts.
5. Get Support Where and When It's Needed
The evolving objectives of individual giving fundraising underscore the need for flexibility and innovation in the charity sector. Whether focusing on acquisition, retention, or integration, charities must adapt their strategies to meet changing demands. Watch The Lowdown webinar 2024 in full on demand or find out more about where Woods Valldata can support you today.
Discover Expert Fundraising Services for Charities
External expertise can provide additional skills, capacity and operational support when internal teams need it most. The right fundraising services for charities can help connect strategic thinking with the processes required to deliver effective campaigns and positive supporter experiences.
At Woods Valldata we’re your partners in possibility. Whatever you want when you outsource your cross-channel fundraising programmes – insight, strategy and innovation driving growth. We also deliver reliable processes and continuous improvements delivering faster and more accurate banking, thanking and fulfilment.
Together, these services help your supporters feel appreciated and elevate your ability to achieve more.
Get in Touch with Woods Valldata Today
Contact us today to learn more about our fundraising services for charities and to explore how we can help your charity achieve its individual giving fundraising objectives, from driving acquisition efficiencies to innovating with prize-led fundraising.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are Fundraising Services for Charities?
Fundraising services are specialist activities delivered to help charities plan, manage and improve their fundraising programmes. They can include strategy and insight, data analysis, campaign delivery, response handling, payment processing, fulfilment and supporter communications.
When Should a Charity Outsource Fundraising Activity?
Outsourcing may be valuable when a charity needs additional capacity, specialist expertise, scalable processes or technology that would be difficult to maintain internally.
It can support a specific campaign, address an operational challenge or provide ongoing assistance across a complete fundraising programme.
Which Individual Giving Services Can Woods Valldata Support?
Woods Valldata supports charities with data strategy and insight, creative and production, response handling, fulfilment, Direct Debit management and prize-led fundraising programmes such as raffles and lotteries.
How Can Outsourced Response Handling Improve Supporter Experience?
Specialist response handling can help donations and supporter communications move through accurate, secure and responsive processes.
Services can include data capture, payment processing, banking and thanking, helping charities reduce administrative pressure while ensuring supporters receive timely recognition.
Can Outsourcing Support Both Acquisition and Retention?
Yes. Strategic insight, integrated campaign delivery and scalable processing can help charities reach new audiences while providing existing supporters with consistent and relevant experiences.
The right approach should connect acquisition and retention rather than treating them as separate programmes.
