‘How to Connect with Donors’, a report published from the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) found that sophisticated donors want charities to demonstrate their effectiveness and to adopt new forms of communication.

The online survey of over 200 CAF and non-CAF donors asked them for their views on how the recession affects charities and what they thought charities could do to alleviate the effects of the recession.

A key recommendation is in the use of new forms of communication: over three quarters (77%) said that charities should change how they communicate with donors. New media such as social networking (70%) and email (65%) were recommended as tools which charities should use more of in the recession. One of the most popular recommendations from donors to charities was for them to forge closer links with each other. Over four fifths of donors (85%) think charities should be partnering with other charities.

Charities are also being urged by donors to increase their efficiency and effectiveness and to demonstrate this. Nearly all donors (94%) stated that charities should demonstrate their efficiency to weather the recession. Nearly the same amount (92%) stated that charities need to ensure that they are showing the impact of their work to donors. Over four fifths stated that charities should review their finances (86%) and demonstrate their transparency (85%).

 The full report is available for download here.