Why your donation matters

We’re here to tell you that it makes all the difference. When lots of people give money to charitable causes, the numbers quickly add up. There’s power in numbers and, with your help, charities can do incredible work in defence of people, animals, and the planet. They can launch large-scale projects that really move the dial. 

Just take a look at a few of IFAW’s projects to see what a difference donations are making for animals and people around the globe. And if that’s not enough, here are 9 more great reasons to donate to charity.

9 reasons to donate to charity

1. Make an impact

When you donate to a charity, you make an impact. You help support important causes and projects you care about. Whether you give to an animal welfare fund or another charity, you make a positive difference in the world.

In the case of IFAW, your donations are put towards our various programmes, including:

• Landscape conservation
• Community engagement
• Wildlife Crime
• Policy
• Wildlife Rescue
• Disaster Response
• Marine Conservation
• Marine Mammal Rescue

Our programmes are designed to be sustainable and impactful over the long term. They also take into account the connection between people, animals, and local habitats to find solutions that work for everyone. So, when you donate to IFAW, you help to create a healthier, happier, and more ecologically diverse world.

Monthly donations are a great way to make a long-term impact. When you set up a recurring donation to IFAW, you become part of our long-term work to keep the world’s most vulnerable animals safe.

2. Feel good

Donating to charity isn’t a purely selfless act. You get something out of it, too. Generous behaviour is known to increase happiness, and living according to your values and doing something to help others boosts your wellbeing. 

As well as helping you feel good about yourself, giving to environmental causes can help reduce negative feelings about the future of our planet, too. We’re all affected, to varying degrees, by climate change and the loss of biodiversity—and it’s easy to feel anxious about the state of the planet and its wildlife. When you give to wildlife charities, you help us combat these issues. You also take action on the things within your control, which can help alleviate anxious feelings about the climate.

3. Set an example to others

When you give money to charity, you set a great example. If you’re a role model for children (either yours or those of someone close to you), you demonstrate to them that giving is good. This message can stick with them and turn them into generous charity supporters later in their lives.

But it’s not just about setting an example for younger generations. Your charitable giving can have an impact on the adults around you, too. Talk to friends, family, and co-workers about your donations and the causes that are close to your heart. Share posts and articles from your favourite organisations on social media, too. Your charitable giving may just inspire them to follow suit.

4. Get involved with a cause you care about

We all live busy lives. Perhaps you’d like to volunteer for a wildlife charity, campaign for an important cause, or set up a government petition, but there aren’t enough hours in the day at this point in your life.

Making a charitable donation is a quick and easy way to support a cause you care about. So, no matter how packed your schedule is, you can help people and animals across the planet.  

5. Give a meaningful and sustainable gift

We’ve all heard ‘reduce, reuse, recycle.’ When you make a charitable donation in someone’s name instead of buying a material gift, you fulfil the first part of this mantra. You reduce consumption, which in itself is good for the planet. You also give a meaningful gift to a loved one. You make your recipient feel good at having done something positive in the world and having contributed to a cause they care about. That’s a priceless way to celebrate a special occasion.

Next time your own birthday or the holiday season rolls around, consider requesting your party guests to make charitable donations in your name in lieu of gifts. You can also host a fundraising party or event to support your favourite organisations any time of the year.

6. Save on taxes

Depending on where you live, charitable donations can be tax deductible. This means that by supporting charitable work, you can save on your tax bill.

In the UK, for example, you can reduce your taxes under the Gift Aid or the Payroll Giving schemes. In the US, individuals and businesses can declare donations on their federal tax return for a tax deduction. So, whether it’s a one-off donation or a regular payment, check local tax regulations to see if you could benefit.

7. Leave a lasting legacy

You can make a lasting impact on wildlife conversation when you leave a legacy donation as part of your will, life insurance policy, or retirement plan. If you’ve been fortunate enough to accumulate wealth and assets during your lifetime, this type of donation is a great way to give back to a worthwhile cause. Legacy donations are a statement of the values and beliefs that shaped your life, and they will continue to help people, wildlife, and the planet in the future.   

8. Connect with others

Charitable giving connects you with like-minded people, particularly when you raise money by starting a fundraiser. Working together towards a common goal brings great satisfaction. It helps you to feel part of society and your community, and it may even help you make new friends, too.

9. Help animals, people, and the planet

When you give money to wildlife and conservation charities you help to protect animals, people, and the planet. You help preserve wildlife and habitats for future generations, and you bring us a step closer to the kind of world you want to live in.

Donate to IFAW 

IFAW is a reputable global non-profit organisation working to create a world where animals and people can thrive together.

IFAW relies on your donations to fund its projects protecting wildlife around the world. Read our annual reports to see how we spend your donations or donate today.