One third of non-profits surveyed in a recent global study saw an increase in fundraising income in the year up to August 2009 over the previous year.

Fourteen per cent of organisations reported a growth in fundraising income of 10% or more, in other “good news” from the Global Fundraising Confidence Survey 2009’ from third sector training and consultancy provider The Management Centre.

However, 50% saw a decrease and the average fall in income from donations was 3%.

Bernard Ross, director of The Management Centre, told Philanthropy UK: “The results of the survey are good news for the sector for three reasons. There are a significant number of charities who have increased donations, the overall fall in fundraising income was much less than expected, and charities do seem more optimistic about the future than expected.”

Income for non-profit organisations fell by just 1% on average in Europe, compared with hardest-hit Asia, where the average fall was 13%, based on the 126 survey responses from leading fundraising directors and experts around the world

Ross says, “In many cases, not-for-profit organisations report that donors are responding to increased need by increasing donations.”

The report said the most common factors reported to have positively impacted income levels were:

• Increased investment in fundraising and fundraiser’s increased efforts to counteract anticipated income falls
• Finding new sources of income
• Major donors stepping in to boost income
• Innovation in fundraising to create new ways to attract donations

“Major donors and innovation are seen as drivers for better results. It’s also interesting to note that many see social media as playing a key role,” Ross said.

Respondents predicted that the three causes whose fundraising was most likely to suffer from the global financial crises were arts, heritage and culture, science and scientific research and human rights. The three least likely to suffer were children’s causes, faith-based causes and education.