Austria has more donors than ever, but total fundraising drops slightly

Total donations to charities in Austria fell by 0.5% in 2024 to a total of €1.07bn, the Fundraising Verband Austria’s (FVA) latest Spendenbericht (Donation Report) shows.

The report also shows that 79% of people in Austria gave during the year – the highest level since these reports began in 2008.

Austrian fundraising first exceeded the billion mark in 2022, totalling €1.1bn, before dropping to €1.08bn in 2023. The slight decreases in 2023 and 2024 follow increases in every previous year, dating back to the first Spendenbericht in 2008 when the total was €360m.

The fundraising dip in 2024 was disproportionately felt by the biggest charities – the country’s 50 largest nonprofits registered a total drop of 4.2%, while medium-sized organisations increased their revenues by 7.7%.

Average donation up

The average single donation in 2024 was €142, an increase of €4 on the previous year.

The vast majority (81%) of all donations were below €200, while 2.6% were greater than €1,000.

Average donation amounts also differ significantly from region to region, ranging from €202 in the country’s three western states (Salzburg, Tirol and Vorarlberg) to €109 in Niederösterreich and Burgenland. In Vienna, it was only slightly higher at €119.

Ruth Williams, managing director of FVA, says:

“Despite comprehensive social challenges, the people who live in Austria have hardly compromised in supporting charitable concerns – a testimony of the great appreciation towards charitable work.”

The report says that some of the decline in donations was due to a reduction in support for Ukraine, as well as inflationary pressures on consumers. However, Austrians were mobilised to support relief efforts following floods in September 2024 which impacted Austria and neighbouring countries.

The report also notes that tax deduction changes are having a positive impact on the fundraising landscape. At the start of 2024, new laws meant that donation to a much broader range of organisations – including those working education, human rights and sport – became eligible for tax deductions.

FVA has projected that total fundraising in 2025 is likely to remain at the same level as in 2024.

Picture by Javid M on Pexels