One in four (23%) people are committed to participating in a charity event in the next 12 months. This is being fuelled by 18-34 year olds, with 14% already signed up and 19% planning to, according to the annual Mass Events research report from Enthuse, the digital donations, fundraising and event registration platform. This research launches after London Marathon Events announced a 10 year partnership with Enthuse, giving long-term stability to the future of mass participation events.
Rising to the challenge
Raising money for charity is a key motivator for those who take part in either charity events or distance events. Two thirds (64%) of charity event participants were motivated to take part because of the opportunity to use the event to raise funds. For distance runners, this is also a significant driver of participation with 56% stating this led them to sign up for their event.
Taking part with friends and socialising are also drivers for both groups, with two fifths (40%) of charity branded participants and a third (30%) of distance runners getting involved because they had a friend taking part.
Fundraising effectiveness
The most successful event fundraisers start six months out from event day, with four in ten (38%) of those raising £3,000 or more. In contrast, just 8% of those who started fundraising a month from the event hit the £3,000 mark. Setting a fundraising target is also highly valuable. Nearly nine in ten (86%) mass event fundraisers who set a fundraising target hit it – in fact half of them go on to exceed that target. 70% of fundraisers with a target raised more than £500 compared to just 38% without one.
The Mass Events report from Enthuse states that charities can segment mass event fundraisers into three groups; 39% raise up to £500 per event; 48% raise between £500 – £3,000 per event; and 13% raise £3,000+ per event.
Encouragingly for charities, the number of fundraisers raising £500-£3,000 is up seven percentage points on last year, growing from 41% to 48%. And the number raising £3,000+ has risen from 11% to 13% in that time.
When it comes to reasons why people choose to donate, the cause that’s being run for is the most important consideration. More than four in ten (44%) people say they donated to a mass event participant because they support the cause or charity. It’s worth noting that one in five (21%) didn’t donate because they either just forgot (13%) or didn’t have time when they got the request (8%). Highlighting the importance of regularly sharing a fundraising page.
Chester Mojay Sinclare, CEO and Founder of Enthuse, said:
“Mass participation events are leading the way for third sector fundraising income. They’re a staple for charities and it’s fantastic to see so many people committed to taking part in the next 12 months. Importantly for the sector, fundraising for a good cause is at the heart of why people choose to get involved in an event or give to someone who is. The difficulty of the event isn’t necessarily the main driver for donations.”
“Mass participation events provide an opportunity to do something memorable solo or as part of a team, and the research shows that the community element of these events is a major factor in people choosing to get involved. It’s important for charities to offer their fundraisers the ability to fundraise as part of a team to make the most of this. And encouraging participants to start fundraising as early as possible will also be beneficial. The sooner you start, the more you raise.”
Social support
For charities wondering about preferred communication methods for fundraiser support, email (48%) and website (43%) lead the way, with phone calls at just 20%. Opportunities to connect with other participants – either through WhatsApp groups (39%) or online (34%) – are also valued, with a desire for a sense of community being important.
When looking at how fundraisers spread the word, unsurprisingly posting about the event on social media is the most popular with 43% saying they do this, and related to this 35% say they share their personal story online about why they are taking part. Other popular activities include asking for donations at clubs or teams that someone is a member of (40%) and asking employers for support (38%).
Nearly a third (30%) of fundraisers who post every day or more raise more than £3,000 – double the amount who post most days (15%), and triple those who post every 2-3 days (9%) or weekly (7%).
More than a third (34%) also want to be supported through apps that track fundraising – an important consideration for charities, particularly for large scale events such as the TCS London Marathon or AJ Bell Great North Run which already have these in place and are integrated with fundraising. More than half (51%) of participants said that apps made it easier for supporters to donate.
