Dutch charities spend 90% of total income on delivering social good

Charities across the Netherlands are increasing their spend on the cause, according to the latest annual survey from Goede Doelen Nederland – the Dutch Fundraising Association. The survey provides an overview of the spend, income and donations received by 158 Dutch charities.

Margreet Plug, managing director of Goede Doelen Nederland, says: 

“In 2018, the 158 participating charities spent €2.8 billion on their cause, €27 million more than in 2017.  Overall, 90% of the total income was spent on the cause. This is a great result.  

“People must trust that their donation is well spent when donated to charities and is making a difference.”

Spending on the social cause increased across all causes except international aid & human rights, and nature / environmental charities. Nearly three-quarters of spending is spent on direct services and aid, however health organisations in the study assign more than half of their budget to research. 

The total annual income for the 158 charities in this study increased by €62 million over the year, amounting to €3.1 billion in 2018. Income from private individuals saw a marginal rise of 1%, bolstered by 5% growth in income from charitable bequests.

Small charities experienced the highest levels of growth, with revenue up 11% over the year. This was mainly due to an increase in income from private individuals, most notably from legacy gifts and private gifts. Individual donations account for over half of all income to smaller charities surveyed.

In contrast, the income of large international aid organisations fell by 2% over the year, equating to a loss of €35 million. This was mainly due to a particularly large fundraising campaign, ‘The Netherlands helps Sint Maarten’, which inflated the annual income in 2017 for several organisations participating in the study.