PayPal Giving Fund launches in Ireland as online charity donations jump by almost 40%
Dublin, 16th July 2020 – With PayPal’s support, PayPal Giving Fund Ireland1 is launching today to enable people to support their favourite charities online and help such organisations raise vital funds. In 2019 alone, PayPal processed a record $10.3 billion in charity donations across the globe, demonstrating the scale and appeal of online donations for both charities and consumers2.
PayPal Giving Fund Ireland is a new registered charity which will meet the growing demand among people in Ireland to be able to support worthwhile causes through digital donations, following an almost 40% increase in online charity contributions in Ireland during the coronavirus crisis.
New research from PayPal3, conducted by Ipsos and involving 2,000 Irish consumers, reveals that online charity donations increased dramatically in Ireland during the pandemic with four in five contributions made online. Furthermore, over two thirds (68%) of people said they will continue making online donations after the crisis.
A quarter of Irish people also said that they are helping or engaging in charity activities with more frequency than before. In terms of the types of organisations chosen, people are more likely to select a local charity.
As well as enabling people to give money to charities more directly, PayPal Giving Fund provides a directory for PayPal users who want to make a charitable donation. It enables them to search for charities within a given space, such as cancer research or mental health charities.
Meanwhile, registered charities can enrol with PayPal Giving Fund, which then grants funds to them without charging the charities or individual donors for its services – the result being that 100% of the funds PayPal Giving Fund receives go to charities. PayPal Giving Fund allows Irish charities to connect with donors online and maximise their fundraising efforts during these challenging times.
PayPal Giving Fund will also be working with partners in Ireland, including The Wheel and Charities Institute of Ireland (Cii), to spread the word to charities that will be able to benefit from its programmes.
Maeve Dorman, a trustee of PayPal Giving Fund Ireland and Vice-President of Global Merchant Services, PayPal said: “We are very aware of the generosity of Irish people and how much they enjoy giving back to their communities – in fact, Ireland ranked fifth in last year′s CAF World Giving Index for giving4. This is what makes the launch of the PayPal Giving Fund Ireland so exciting.
“We hope it will make a real impact to the fundraising community in Ireland with its ability to connect donors and charities in a quick, easy and impactful way. Of course, this is something which is important at any time, but especially now with many traditional fundraising channels no longer available for these organisations.
“PayPal Giving Fund Ireland harnesses the power of digital technology to meet the growing demand for online donations and enables people in Ireland to contribute in a relevant and engaging way to the causes they are passionate about as part of their everyday lives. In turn, this support enables charities to continue the valuable work in communities across Ireland and make a difference in our society.”
For more information on PayPal Giving Fund, visit the PayPal Giving Fund website