Barriers to Giving

Report
November 2019
Barclays and Savanta
 
 
 
 
 
 
New research from Barclays Private Bank finds ‘lack of faith’ between wealthy individuals and charities is a major barrier to giving in the UK
 
 
Barriers to Giving, a new report released today by Barclays Private Bank, finds a ‘lack of faith’ between high net worth individuals (HNWIs) and charities is one of the greatest obstacles to philanthropy in the UK.
 
In response to the issues raised in the report, Barclays Private Bank is partnering with The Beacon Collaborative and the Institute of Fundraising to redress the relationship between wealthy individuals and charities.
 
Recent figures revealed that only 50% of UK multimillionaires donate 1% or more of their annual income to charitable causes. The lack of major donors is having a considerable impact on charitable funding; philanthropic donations amount to just 0.5% of national GDP today, compared with 2.1% in the US. If every multi-millionaire in the UK was to increase donations to 1% of their income, there would be an additional £46.4 million in national charity funding each year. 
 
New research, commissioned by Barclays Private Bank and undertaken by global intelligence business Savanta, identifies an underlying sense of ‘us and them’ between HNWIs and charities, driven by a lack of understanding and poor communication. This has a detrimental impact on the potential for HNWIs and charities to develop mutually beneficial partnerships over the longer term.
 
One in four wealthy individuals state a lack of faith in how charities are run (25%), and a lack of control over how money is used (27%) as major reasons that prevent them from donating more to charity. Scandals involving reputable charities have furthered this lack of trust and the assumption that such issues are widespread within the sector. 
 
Charities’ current perceptions and methods of engaging with HNWIs are also identified in the report as barriers to major giving. The assumptions that HNWIs often demand ‘too much control’ over their donations and that they can ‘always give more’ are cited as contributing factors to the problematic ‘us and them’ mentality.
 
Barriers to Giving also found that:
 
74% of HNWIs believe philanthropy is a responsibility of those wealthier than themselves
46% believe that it is the responsibility of the government or state to support charitable organisations’ causes
35% believe that making extra donations wouldn’t be large enough to have a significant impact
24% of HNWIs cite a lack of knowledge, experience and contact with the charity sector as a hurdle to overcome when considering large donations
 
To bridge the gap between HNWIs and charities, Barclays Private Bank is partnering with The Beacon Collaborative, a collective founded to encourage and celebrate major donors in the UK, and the Institute of Fundraising, the professional membership body for UK fundraising.
 
The partnership aims to deliver a step change in giving by building trust and understanding between HNWIs and charities. It will support The Beacon Collaborative’s objective to generate an additional £2 billion in donations to charity by 2025. Barclays Private Bank and The Beacon Collaborative will also work with the Institute of Fundraising to deliver a series of events to help fundraisers engage and form long term relationships with HNWIs.
 
Emma Turner, Director, Philanthropy Service at Barclays Private Bank, said: “Barriers to Giving reveals a lack of alignment on how HNWIs and charities can collaborate to deliver real change. Barclays Private Bank is uniquely positioned to undertake this challenge; not only does our expertise bring a deep understanding of the HNWI landscape, but Barclays also banks one in four charities in the UK.  
 
She continued: “We are committed to supporting our clients to map out giving goals that align to their values and personal ambitions, with the same careful consideration that goes into making any other investment. We know that life’s success isn’t just about financial gains. Philanthropy – using your money for good – is an investment which delivers a different, but equally important kind of return.”
 
Matthew Bowcock, co-founder of The Beacon Collaborative said: “Philanthropy has a crucial role to play in modern society – especially in today’s climate, where inequality has created deep divisions. We are already working alongside a growing force of major givers in the UK, but as this report reveals, there is more to be done to bridge the gap between charities and donors. Strengthening such relationships, with the help of Barclays Private Bank and the Institute of Fundraising, will be essential in meeting our goal to secure £2 billion in annual collective funding by 2025.”
 
Peter Lewis, Chief Executive of the Institute of Fundraising said: “We’re delighted to be bringing the findings of Barriers to Giving 2020 to life for the hundreds of charities we support, with a series of events that will help fundraisers to better understand wealthy donors, and to build more impactful, longer-term relationships with them. At the same time there is a need to help HNWIs better understand charities and the impact we know is achieved.”
 
 
 

This report is tagged under:

  • Understanding philanthropy