From donating money at the click of a button to buying into a brand because it supports a shared personal cause, the way people interact with charities is changing. What societal shifts are driving this? And what do companies and charities need to do to stay connected and current?

High-profile news stories of fraud and mismanagement have seen public trust in the charity sector diminish. With Britons also put off by aggressive fundraising tactics and more carefully scrutinising how their donations are spent, how can charities regain people’s confidence and support?

British charities missed out on £80 million in 2016 due to cash-only donation systems. In an effort to combat this, Barclays has launched donation boxes that accept card-based payments, theorising that a seamless payment system could lead to a spike in random acts of giving.

Deciding which charity to support involves many complex and sometimes unconscious factors, but with trust in non-profits declining, people might feel like the pool of legitimate causes is growing smaller. Faith-based charities, however, can use their spiritual affiliations to counter these concerns.