13. Charity Trends

Charitable organizations use a variety of methods to raise funds to support their missions. The method many people think of first (contracting with a paid solicitor), is used by a relatively small number of charities.

To put such solicitation campaigns into perspective, consider that there were 11,170 charities registered to solicit contributions in Colorado as of Nov. 30, 2013, yet only 277 different charities were listed on the 443 solicitation campaign financial reports filed in 2013. Thus, the number of charities listed on solicitation campaigns filed in 2012 represents less than 2.5% of the number of charities that were registered as of Nov. 30, 2013. Contributions brought in by charitable organizations via solicitation campaigns reported in 2013 totaled $205 million, or 0.3% of the $63.4 billion in contributions reported on all charities’ financial reports. To be sure, a portion of the $63.4 billion in contributions reported by all registered charities could include results of solicitation campaigns conducted in states other than Colorado, but it’s important to keep the overall fundraising picture in mind when considering the results of the solicitation campaign financial reports filed in 2013.

Nevertheless, direct mail, radio, and telemarketing campaigns have a big public impact. This report summarizes the results not only of these 443 solicitation campaigns, but also excerpts the most pertinent financial information provided by all registered charities on their overall financial reports. In the latter category, the totals represent financial reports submitted by 9,163 charities, of which 6,023 listed a principal address in Colorado.

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