Could Raising the Media Profile of Your Charity Increase Donations by 50%?
There is strong evidence of a direct link between local media coverage and an increase in fundraising for charities.
A study by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) found that charities receiving sustained local or regional media attention experienced a 30-50% increase in individual donations compared to similar organisations without coverage.
Local media coverage increases community awareness of a cause, charity event, or fundraising campaign. Studies in philanthropy and communication consistently show that visibility correlates with donor engagement. When potential donors see or hear about a cause in a trusted local source, they are more likely to contribute.
Local outlets – TV, radio, newspapers – tend to have strong community trust. Coverage in these sources acts as a third-party endorsement validating the charity’s legitimacy and impact.
According to the Nielsen Trust in Media Report (2023) local news ranks as one of the most trusted information sources, and trust is a key driver of charitable giving decisions.
Local stories focus on human interest and humanise the cause. They show faces and the local impact, which leads to emotional engagement. Another reason why it is so important to source Case Studies – and have them media trained so as not to waste the media opportunity.
Emotional engagement is a major predictor of donor behaviour – Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 2021.
When local media tells stories about community members being helped, empathy and social responsibility are triggered, directly influencing donation rates. Local coverage creates a bandwagon effect – seeing others in the community donate or participate encourages similar behaviour.
Media stories amplify community participation by showing names, photos, audio, or video – reinforcing collective identity and motivation.
There is a direct, positive, measurable correlation between local media coverage and increased charitable fundraising. The relationship is mediated by increased awareness, perceived legitimacy, and emotional engagement – all of which are heightened when stories are told through trusted local channels.
Media Friendly has been delivering media training, PR and communication skills training to the Charity Sector for more than 25 years – to both informed spokespeople and those vital Case Studies.
We are always happy to discuss tailored media training, Proactive PR and communication skills training programmes so do get in touch:
📧 enquiries@mediafriendly.org
📞 01628 474154
🌐 www.mediafriendly.org