Information on impact and ongoing reports on the progress of a charity’s work are highly valued by donors, according to new research from Charities Aid Foundation.

While 81 per cent of people say it is important to receive some form of communication from a charity after donating, 68 per cent said information on a charity’s impact is important.

Regular updates on the charity's work were seen as important by 57 per cent, and identifying how an individual donation had been spent was seen as important by 54 per cent.

More than 1,000 people were interviewed by GfK NOP early this year, as part of CAF’s ongoing UK Giving Study.

The study found a standard ‘thank you’ was considered important by 48 per cent of respondents, and a personalised ‘thank you’ was seen as important by 39 per cent.

Hannah Terrey, head of policy and campaigns at CAF, said the research shows most people do not want their relationship with a charity to end when they donate. Ensuring people are happy with the way charities contact them and maintaining a good rapport with supporters is important, Terrey said.

“We need to get the balance right so that supporters of charities feel valued and informed but never harassed,” she said. "The nature of charities’ communication with donors has come under considerable scrutiny recently. It is significant that our evidence shows there are few things that motivate people to give to a good cause more than straightforward information about how a charity is having an impact.”

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