Research by Stewardship, a Christian financial support organization, found in its “Generosity Report 2024” that Christians in the U.K. give £73 ($99 USD) per month, 3.2% of their income after tax, to “all causes, including their churches.” That equates to £8 ($10.85 USD) more than the £65 ($88) per month given by non-Christians to all charities.
Naomi Buckler is the newly appointed (since May 12, 2025) chairperson of Fundraisers in Christian Organisations (FICO), a special interest group of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising in the U.K. She is also a fundraising consultant for Cheerful Giving in the city of Bristol. In exclusive insights, Bucker explains how Christian charities in the country benefit from the giving of individual donors and gives tips on retaining supporters.
CDI: What is your background in giving professional financial advice?
I wouldn't say I give professional financial advice! That's a different profession. But I do advise Christian charities on how to find and retain donors. I've worked with Christian charities for twenty years, and been involved with them all my life, as volunteer, mission worker, staff worker, trustee, and of course a donor! My specialism is individual giving, although I also worked at the [Anglican] Diocese of Bristol, advising churches on giving and income generation.
CDI: How would you define a 'financial donor'?
Most Christian charities get the majority of their financial support from individual donors, whether through regular giving or one-off appeals, or from legacies. Recent research from Stewardship showed that 84% of committed Christians give regularly to their church. 61% also give regularly to Christian charities.
CDI: Do you have a view on the current general financial situation facing UK Christian charities?
Data looking at UK Christian charities specifically is hard to come by, but there is good data on the financial situation in the UK charity sector as a whole. While income goes up year-on-year, in real terms it is decreasing. Christian charities do often report an increasing dependence on an ever smaller number of generous donors. This is against a background of rising inflation and increasing costs. Many U.K. Christian charities are concerned that their donor base is aging, and are looking at ways of recruiting younger donors. At FICO we see a mixed picture of some Christian charities growing rapidly, but some struggling in the current challenging climate. And the recent Stewardship report mentioned above showed an encouraging increase in giving by committed Christians, especially amongst younger donors.
CDI: Why do Christian charities struggle to keep financial donors—and is this presumption true? Is there evidence for that?
Christian charities often have good retention rates compared to secular charities. People give because they really believe in the cause. And Christian charities can't do mass marketing recruitment (for example door to door) as secular charities can. However it is very costly to acquire new donors, so anything that a charity can do to retain its supporters and keep them engaged is money well spent. The first thing to do is to measure your attrition rate—the number of donors who leave you each year. And once you know that figure you can start to do something about it, whether that is through supporter surveys, data analysis, or focus groups.
CDI: What are the challenges and solutions in the relationship between Christian charities and donors?
There are many good causes that a Christian can support in the UK—so how can you stand out? Tell stories and show impact. How can you make sure that each donor feels valued and is not simply seen as a cash machine? Make sure that your communications are tailored to individual donor journeys. One simple thing you can do is become a 'secret shopper' by donating to another charity. This will help you to find out what things charities do well—and what they don't!
CDI: What advice would you give to a U.K. Christian charity struggling to find regular or irregular funding?
Ask for help. That might be paid advice from someone who has experience and seen it all before. They may be able to reassure you that you are not alone, and other charities are struggling too. And use the really helpful forums for Christian fundraisers, whether through FICO or elsewhere. One of the wonderful things about the Christian fundraising world is that people are so willing to share and give help and advice. Don't necessarily look for innovative magic ideas—just do the basics well. But do try and have a mix of funding streams, so that you aren't just reliant on one source, whether that is grants, or appeals, or legacies.
