Research reports
The Commission's research reports, which include findings from our recent surveys, interviews, focus groups and other research activities, are available below. You can find out more information on the Commission's recent public consultations, and view consultation reports, by clicking here.
- Closures research report 2024
- Public trust and confidence in charities research report 2021
- The Northern Ireland register of charities three years on
- Charity Commission for Northern Ireland Customer Satisfaction Survey 2016
- Public trust and confidence in charities research 2016
- Charity register at a year - March 2015
- Snapshot of trustees on the Northern Ireland register of charities - November 2014
- Charity giving over Christmas survey 2013
Over ten years on since charity registration commenced in December 2013, the Commission has completed its first research report into why some charities have closed. There are some interesting findings.
Public trust and confidence in charities research report 2021
According to research from the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, 87% of respondents marked 'doing what they say they will do' as a major factor that influences their trust in a charity.
The research, conducted by an independent agency on behalf of the Commission in early 2021, gathered the views of 1,500 adults on issues including:
- their perception of charities
- levels of trust and confidence in charities
- what influences that trust and confidence
- how they have supported charities during the pandemic
- the importance of charity regulation
The full research report is available below
The Commission will also be publishing snapshot overview reports in coming months, condensing some of the key findings. Three snapshot reports, entitled Overall trust and confidence in charities and charity regulation, How charities can apply learning from the research and Drivers of public trust and confidence in charities, are available below.
The Northern Ireland register of charities three years onThe definitive register of charities in Northern Ireland continues to grow following the introduction of compulsory charity registration in December 2013.
The thematic report below, The growing Northern Ireland register of charities, provides an analysis of information held on organisations that have been successfully registered as at October 2016.
The information in this report is drawn from the first 5,211 charities registered in Northern Ireland. This represents 100% of the register as it stood on 28 October 2016, almost three years since compulsory charity registration opened.
Charity Commission for Northern Ireland Customer Satisfaction Survey 2016
The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (the Commission) works with a range of stakeholders including members of the public, charities, community and voluntary groups, charity umbrella organisations, public bodies and other regulators. We aim to provide the highest possible standards and quality of service to all our stakeholders.
The Commission gathers feedback on an ongoing basis in a number of ways, including through a post-registration survey, the ‘contact us’ form on the website, feedback forms at events and the ‘complaints about our service’ process. Additionally, standards are monitored through regular internal assurance checks. In the Customer charter we have also committed to providing stakeholders with a formal opportunity to feedback their experience to the Commission through customer service surveys.
Customer satisfaction surveys are an opportunity for stakeholders to provide genuine, confidential feedback. They also give organisations providing a service to the public, specific information about their stakeholder’s perceptions, both positive and negative. This feedback can be used to improve or enhance services.
Our first customer satisfaction survey was launched on 10 October 2016 and closed on 14 December 2016. We received feedback from 41 stakeholders. This report provides an analysis of the feedback received and outlines our response to some of the issues raised.
Public trust and confidence in charities research 2016
In September 2016, the Commission launched new research on public trust and confidence in Northern Ireland’s charities.
Independently carried out for the Commission by Ipsos MORI, the research tracked the public’s attitude to charities, including what influences trust levels and what they know about charity regulation.
The full research report as well as snapshot reports, focusing on specific areas, are available below. You can also view the Commission's research animation on YouTube by clicking here (external link).
Further snapshot reports will be added over coming months.
Please contact the Commission to discuss these reports and share your views on what information could usefully be analysed and presented in the future.
The public trust and confidence research launch was covered on the Focal Point programme, which aired in NVTV on 7 September 2016. You can view this coverage, with the launch featuring at approximately 7.40minutes into the programme at https://vimeo.com/181812111 (external link).
Charity register at a year - March 2015
Compulsory charity registration began in Northern Ireland for the first time in December 2013. Just over a year after registration commenced, on 19 January 2015, the Commission began work on a research report analysing the new register of charities so far.
Snapshot of trustees on the Northern Ireland register of charities - November 2014
Trustees’ Week 2014, running from 10 to 16 November, is designed to celebrate the vital contribution made by charity trustees.
To show their support of this annual event, the Commission has produced a short snapshot of trustees on the new register of Northern Ireland charities.
The information in this report, available below, has been compiled from a sample of 352 charities listed on the online register of charities. This reflects a sample size of 62% of the full register of charities (565 charities) at 10 November 2014.
Charity Giving Over Christmas survey 2013
In November 2013, ICM Research carried out an independent survey into charity giving over Christmas on behalf of the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, the Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB) and other UK charity regulators.
The research was conducted via telephone interview over the weekend of 22 to 24 November 2013.
You can read or download the Commission's full Charity giving over Christmas survey report, produced from the research gathered, below: