An Interview with Ruy Fortini, Founder and CEO of Doare and official partner of the 2018 Global Trends in Giving Report.
According to the Institute of Applied Economic Research, there are 820,000 existing NGOs, also know as ONGs (organizaciónes no gubernamentales), in Brazil.
1) The Global Trends in Giving Report is meant to help the nonprofit sector better understand individual giving worldwide, but data and statistics don’t communicate well what is happening on the ground in Brazil. What would you like the world to know about NGOs and fundraising in Brazil?
It’s incredible to see thousands of small NGOs doing so much with so little resources. Small nonprofits in Brazil are usually created by social entrepreneurs in the slums or other low-income zones, people with no management skills but lots of love to give. It’s something incredible. When those NGOs receive funding they usually know how to use the funds very efficiently and are able to grow. Those initial fundings rarely come from online donations, most are community-based initiatives, companies, and local government incentives.
Of course, we have large Brazilian NGOs and international organizations with a strong presence here in Brazil and they’re by far what most people trust and see on their Instagram feed. But small causes here in Brazil make a very big difference in social impact. And it’s great when we see small NGOs being supported by large NGOs with funding and mentoring programs, usually after that they find their way to financial sustainability.
2) What data jumped out at you from the 2018 Global Trends in Giving Report that absolutely rang true and that also surprised you?
According to the 2018 Global Trends in Giving Report, the percent of donors that are women in Brazil was very high at 72%. Although I’m seeing an increase of men giving to NGOs, this difference still surprises me. In my opinion, I don’t think it’s the result of a financial boost of women due to women joining the workforce, but rather something more cultural regarding patriarchy and machismo. Men have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to charitable giving.
Another surprising data point was that “Animals & Wildlife” was the number one cause donated to by Brazilians at 22% – higher than any other country represented in the data. As a fast-growing developing country, this problem it’s quite real. A lack of government resources in the slums and low-income areas to address the problem of animal abandonment and cruelty has inspired many Brazilians to give to nonprofits that support animal welfare and wildlife conservation.
3) You founded Doare, a crowdfunding site for charitable organizations in Brazil. Tell us about the “Abrace o Brasil” campaign you launched in partnership with the Brazil Foundation.
Doare was founded in 2012 with a focus on recurring donations. Rather than focus on start-end campaigns (which we have as well), we came to the conclusion that what small and medium nonprofits mostly need is stable financial support, not a quick financial boom.
“Abrace o Brasil” is an online fundraising campaign in partnership with Brazil Foundation that gathers 100+ Brazilian nonprofits to crowdfund at the same time. Doare built the platform, both multi-language and multi-currency, so people can donate anywhere. We’re in the 2nd edition and last year we had people donate from more than 13 different countries.
Nonprofits don’t have to pay a service fee, only the payment processing fee. They also get training and support from the Brazil Foundation and Doare teams. Honestly, I have never seen a global campaign involving so many different nonprofits fundraising in one place. Amazing!
4) How do you see individual giving evolving in Brazil over the next decade?
There will be more technology support from new startups and tech companies aiming new niche and international markets. This is happening right now and over the next decade, I think Brazilian nonprofits will have more options at more accessible prices powered by the SaaS model. Regarding the cultural side, I’m very optimistic and really hope to see more men involved in charitable giving as well as companies showing more public support of nonprofits!
5) What is the most important piece of fundraising advice that you have to offer charitable organizations in Brazil?
Before you ask for a donation, have a clear strategy and a strong voice. There’s also so much untapped potential on using social media here in Brazil, especially Facebook and Instagram Ads. The truth is: there’s a lot to be done, get strong, aim right and if it fails, keep adjusting or pivot quickly. Just don’t give up! 🙂
Giving Trends in Brazil:
2018 Global Trends in Giving Report
★ 51% of donors in Brazil prefer to give online (credit/debit card), 22% by bank/wire transfer, 13% cash, 9% via PayPal, 3% through direct mail, and 2% via mobile payments.
★ 45% are enrolled in a monthly giving program.
★ 72% prefer to be thanked for their donations by email, 10% via text message, 6% by print letter, 6% by print postcard, 5% by social media message, and 1% by phone call.
★ 6% donated on #GivingTuesday 2017, 17% did not. 77% have never heard of #GivingTuesday.
★ 11% of donors in Brazil give tribute gifts. The top three occasions are birthdays (44%), weddings (8%), and religious holidays (6%).
★ 53% donate to crowdfunding campaigns that benefit individuals. The top three causes are medical expenses (31%), education costs (18%), and veterinary expenses (17%). Of those that give to crowdfunding campaigns, 18% say that they give less to NGOs due to their financial support of crowdfunding campaigns.
★ 21% are more likely to donate if they are offered a free gift in exchange for their donation.
★ 4% create online peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns to benefit organizations.
★ 16% give to organizations located outside of their country of residence.
★ 14% donate in response to natural disasters.
★ 6% have charitable giving in their last will and testament.
★ 60% of donors in Brazil are more likely to trust organizations that use the .org domain extension for website and email communications.
★ 42% are most inspired to give by social media, email (18%), and an NGO’s website (18%). Of those inspired by social media, Facebook (52%) has the largest impact, then Instagram (32%) and YouTube (10%).
★ 9% have donated directly to an organization using Facebook Fundraising Tools. Of those, 46% said they are likely to donate through Facebook again.
★ 47% of donors in Brazil volunteer. 47% attend fundraising events. 30% attend marches or protests. 93% regularly vote. 84% sign online petitions.
About the Donors ✦ 723 donors whose top 5 causes are animals and wildlife (22%), children and youth (17%), human and social services (9%), health and wellness (8%), and international development (7%). 72% are female, 28% are male. 48% are Millennials, 29% Gen Xers, and 19% are Baby Boomers. 60% are micro-donors, 34% small, and 6% mid-size donors.
Based on the survey results of 6,057 donors worldwide, the 2018 Global Trends in Giving Report summarizes donor data across six continents about how online and mobile technology effects giving. The report also examines the impact of gender, generation, ideology, religion, and donor size upon giving and volunteerism.
