More than three quarters of charities increased or maintained their fundraising income over the past year, a report has found.

A survey of 101 charity leaders carried out in November and December found that 77 per cent said their organisation either maintained or increased its fundraising income in 2024, up from 55 per cent the year before.

The annual Charity Pulse report, published by the fundraising platform Enthuse, found that 37 per cent of charities saw their fundraising income rise over the past year, while 40 per cent said it stayed at about the same level.

The research found that 60 per cent of charity leaders felt optimistic about their organisation’s fundraising prospects over the coming year.

This was a “marked” increase from the previous year, the report says, when just 44 per cent said they felt optimistic about fundraising for the year ahead.

The research found that three quarters of charity leaders felt that there was a greater awareness of their cause and its need for support, a rise on last year’s 47 per cent. 

When asked about their concerns for the year, nearly half of charity leaders said that uncertainty over the economy was a worry, while 29 per cent were concerned that fundraisers would be reluctant to ask for support due to money being tight. 

Just 24 per cent said donor fatigue was a concern, while 21 per cent said they were concerned about the death of cash.

The research found that charity leaders most expect their fundraising income to grow this year via events and activities, with 54 per cent selecting this as an expected area of growth.

This was closely followed by corporate fundraising, with 53 per cent of respondents saying they expect their income to grow in this area. 

Just under half of respondents said they expect their individual giving income to grow, while just one in three predicted that their regular giving income would increase.

Only one-quarter of respondents expect to see growth in legacy giving income and 27 per cent expect an increase in their in-memory fundraising income.

The research also asked respondents about their use of technology, finding that just 10 per cent of charities were using artificial intelligence to personalise donor journeys and just 11 per cent were using AI-generated images.

It found that 79 per cent of charities were using QR codes in their fundraising, while one-third were using TikTok and other video platforms to fundraise.

Just 22 per cent of respondents said their charity was using mobile apps and 16 per cent said they were recording or appearing on podcasts to boost their fundraising.

The report also found that nearly one in three charities were using, trialling or researching a replacement for X. 

Data was a key concern for charities when it came to their digital strategy, with nearly three-quarters of respondents saying they had concerns over data privacy and GDPR compliance, while data leaks were a concern for 64 per cent of respondents.

Platform owners’ collection of donor data was a worry for 52 per cent of respondents, while platform owners re-contacting supporters was a concern for 41 per cent.

More than half of respondents were concerned about developing the in-house skills to run digital campaigns, half were concerned with developing a social media strategy and just under half were worried about understanding and developing policies on generative AI.

Chester Mojay-Sinclare, founder and chief executive of Enthuse, said: “In the face of adversity, it’s fantastic to see that many charities improved or maintained their fundraising income in 2024. 

“The healthy level of optimism for 2025 bodes well for the sector. Charities have helped so many in need in the past 12 months and I’m glad they feel there’s a high level of trust in their work.”