UK charities are facing an existential threat due to a critical supporter engagement gap, resulting in nearly half of all first-time donors failing to make a second donation, and accelerating a decline in giving that has seen four million fewer UK adults donate since 2019.
The findings come from a new report, Mind The Engagement Gap: How to Deliver Experiences that Deepen the Charity-Supporter Relationship, from digital experience agency, manifesto. The report includes research with 2,000 supporters and 300 charity professionals to uncover the drivers of this decline, and identifies a blueprint for retention and future resilience that has helped to mobilise charities’ ambitions to close the engagement gap.
The research identifies three primary reasons why the majority of supporters are one-time-only donors:
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Overwhelm and Over-Messaging: 61% of supporters disengage because charities “ask too often or too forcefully.” This is compounded by a high volume of communications, with 40% citing “too many messages and emails.” The data shows non-profits sent an average of 62 email messages per subscriber in 2024, a 9% increase over the prior year.
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Lack of Impact Visibility: 31% of supporters disengage if they do not know how their donation is used. This is particularly crucial for older demographics, with 72% of those aged 65+ rating trust and confidence in the effective use of donations as their top priority.
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Erosion of Trust and Values: 51% of supporters would stop engaging if they lost trust in a charity’s reputation, and 35% would disengage if the charity’s values no longer aligned with their own.
While the sector recognises the problem, with 94% of charity leaders ready to improve engagement, internal operational hurdles are preventing effective change. Only 42% of leaders feel “very ready” with the necessary resources and strategy. The report also identifies an aversion to risk that prevents charities from approaching engagement differently – even if they are already aware of the reasons why supporter engagement typically drops.
Critically, the research identifies three types of internal gaps preventing effective supporter experiences:
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The technology and data gap: Disconnected systems and fragmented data which prevent charities from knowing supporters well enough to serve their needs.
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The decision gap: Decision-making driven by organisational needs rather than supporter needs, where data is collected but not used effectively.
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The team and skills gap: Siloed teams and competing organisational priorities that result in fragmented experiences for supporters rather than coherent journeys.
A blueprint for change
Improving supporter engagement rests on the quality of their digital experience. With one in five (18%) of supporters saying how they engage depends on the quality of their experience, charity organisation leaders need to work together to meet donor needs, cultivate their passion for the cause, and prioritise the delivery of great digital experiences to drive success.
Louise Lai, Chief Client and Transformation Officer, manifesto, said: “Engagement is fragile; hard to build and easy to break. But closing the gap between what supporters need and the experiences we deliver is a truly impactful opportunity for the sector to overcome today’s turbulent challenges. We do this by first closing the internal gaps within our organisations, which allows us to build meaningful, authentic connections with supporters. Our report is a letter of hope to the charitable sector, outlining practical, actionable steps to turn first-time givers into lifelong advocates.”
Ruth Doyle, Director of Digital and Content, WWF, said: “Closing the engagement gap isn’t just about sending fewer emails, it’s about fundamentally shifting how we think about the supporter experience: people don’t just want to give money for you to make change, they want to feel part of that change and they need to see and feel what their money achieves. Charities must confront the cultural road block of risk aversion – we must do better at being comfortable with technology projects, understanding and being able to respond dynamically to opportunities.”
For more information, visit: www.manifestoagency.co.uk
