Over the last decade, the UK has lost around six million donors. On its own, that is alarming. But through the lens of behavioural science and social contagion, it becomes even more concerning. Giving is socially influenced: people are 10 to 20 times more likely to donate when those around them do. As participation declines, the social signals that encourage generosity begin to disappear too.

We tend to think of giving as a deeply personal decision, guided by individual values. In reality, donating is a social act, and supporters should feel comfortable being open about their contributions. Behavioural science shows that people are far more likely to act when they see others doing the same.

A healthy charity ecosystem depends on broad participation. When fewer people give, organisations become reliant on a smaller pool of committed supporters. That concentration of generosity may sustain short-term income, but it introduces long-term fragility.

Amplifying ‘social proof’

Giving, like many human behaviours, is shaped by social proof and external encouragement. When we see friends fundraising or donating, overhear conversations about charities, or spot a membership pack on a kitchen counter, it lowers psychological barriers and makes participation feel natural. The risk charities face today is that when fewer people are giving, those social cues begin to disappear.

Fewer public acts of generosity mean fewer conversations, fewer shared experiences, and fewer reminders that charitable action is part of everyday life. Over time, this can begin to weaken the social norm around giving.

We have to acknowledge we can’t spend our way out of this problem. At a time when advertising costs continue to rise, simply increasing spend is not a sustainable solution.
If giving is socially influenced, it can also be socially reactivated. The same behavioural principles that help explain the decline in donations can also help reverse it.

Repetition is a feature, not a bug

With the desire to drive efficiency, we often forget repetition is one of the core drivers of human decision-making. Some behaviours require only a single exposure. Others require repeated reinforcement from multiple people before people act. Most human behaviours fall into the second category.

Once we recognise that people need to encounter behaviours multiple times before participating themselves, we can design fundraising differently. Repeated exposure to visible generosity, whether through conversations, community activity, social sharing, or everyday interactions, helps normalise giving and makes participation feel easier.

Taking this a step further, by identifying where this offline advocacy is already high, marketing spend can be used to amplify giving in those communities. That shifts advertising from a blunt acquisition tool into a strategic enabler of social influence.

This brings us back to the original concern around declining donor numbers. Declining participation can reinforce further decline, but the reverse is also true. Visible generosity can create momentum.

By amplifying where giving is already visible, we create local pockets of growth that help rebuild a broader culture of participation across the sector.

When generosity is visible, it spreads. In a sector built on collective action and public goodwill, that visibility might be one of the most powerful - and underused - tools charities have.

Herdify helps charities to harness real-world social influence, target the right people, amplify giving behaviour, and increase donations. You can find out more about their work here.

---