Figures from the consultancy nfpSynergy show that the proportion of people who agreed it made sense for charities to spend more of their donations on fundraising this year – if it would increase income for future years – had increased from 34 per cent in 2007 to 46 per cent this year.
The statistics come from nfpSynergy's Charity Awareness Monitor, which annually surveys a representative sample of 1,000 adults in mainland Britain about charity-related issues.
The most recent poll, carried out in July, also found that 53 per cent of respondents thougth charities should spend as much as possible of their donations on this year's needs rather than save it for the future. This figure is up from 49 per cent in 2007.
Joe Saxton, co-founder of nfpSynergy, said charities could take heart from the fact that more supporters appeared to back investment in fundraising, which was something the charity sector had been aruing for.
He said the trend of opinion was also moving in the right direction on the question of spending and saving, even though the majority of people still wanted money raised to be spent immediately.
"A perhaps inescapable tension over precisely how and when people think charities should spend their income to best overall effect will doubtless remain – something charities should be alert to, to help address and minimise potential barriers to giving," he said.
