Charities report hefty losses after Covid-19 shuts fundraisers

Dutch charities have seen a large slump in the number of donations streaming in, resulting in the potential loss of millions of euros, according to a report by the trade association Goede Doelen on Saturday. "Our members' estimate in April was an income loss of 10 to 30 percent. It will soon be tens of millions," Goede Doelen director Margreet Plug told the FD on Saturday.

One major reason for the decline in charitable donations was the fact that door-to-door collections were halted during the Covid-19 outbreak in the Netherlands, according to Goede Doelen.

In addition, a number of other activities which are frequently linked to fundraising, such as running, cycling or swimming events, were also canceled or postponed during this period. "It is therefore difficult to say now what the eventual loss of income will be," said Plug.

According to a report by the newspaper De Telegraaf on Satuday, the Dutch Cancer Society has reported a loss of "tens of millions of euros" after major fundraising events such as the climbing of the L'Alpe d'Huez in France were called off. However, the newspaper noted, the Salvation Army appeared to have been an exception to the trend, reporting more income than they had budgeted.