The latest survey report from the Nonprofit Research Collaborative (NRC) is out and it shows that nearly two-thirds (65%) of surveyed charities raised more in 2015 than the year prior, a small increase over the 63% of charities reporting a year-over-year increase in 2014. However, several fundraising methods proved less likely to be successful when compared with 2014.

Released on 21 March in conjunction with the AFP International Fundraising Conference, the Winter 2016 report of the Nonprofit Fundraising Survey (NFS) shows that while overall charitable receipts rose in 2015, more organizations also reported that receipts declined from 2014 levels for nearly half of the different fundraising techniques measured by the study, including major gifts, direct mail, and special events.

“We’re pleased to see overall giving growing, but the declines in many of the fundraising methods we follow is concerning,” said Andrew Watt, FInstF, president and CEO of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). “It’s too early to say whether this is a one-time occurrence or part of a slowly forming trend. However, any one of these declines would not be worrisome, but collectively they hint that organizations would be well-advised to present a strong case for support linked to demonstrable results and engage in different types of fundraising across the board.”

Differences by Organizational and Regional Characteristics

Among surveyed organizations, 70 percent of those in the Health subsector said charitable funds rose in 2015. This is a significantly higher percentage than a year ago, when 56 percent of participating Health organizations saw an increase in funds raised.

Regionally, organizations in the Western states were most likely to see an increase in 2015 funds raised, with 73% saying philanthropic contributions rose year-on-year. The least likely region to report growth in charitable revenue was the U.S. South.

Charities in Canada were much more likely, with statistical significance, to report an increase in 2015 than they had been a year earlier. In the current report, 67 percent of Canadian charities reported 2015 growth in funds raised, compared with just 53 percent in the 2014 study.

CFRE International is a proud member of the Nonprofit Research Collaborative (NRC) and is pleased to share the results of this important work with you. The findings described above are just a few among many in the Winter 2016 Report released this week. For answers about how organizations in your subsector fared or to see how charities in your region fared compared to those elsewhere, download your free copy of the report from the Nonprofit Research Collaborative website.

In addition to CFRE International, other NRC member organisations include: Association for Fundraising Professionals, Association of Philanthropic Counsel, Campbell Rinker, Giving USA Foundation, the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning, and the National Center for Charitable Statistics at the Urban Institute.