Following the inaugural study in 2025, the Cii Fundraising Benchmark 2026 takes a deeper look at fundraising performance across Ireland — giving charities valuable insight into income, investment, team capacity and fundraising effectiveness.

This year’s research also brings an important international perspective, with UK comparisons made possible through CII’s research partnership with AAW Group and The HX Consultancy.

At this special launch event, Tobin Aldrich and Chris Cox of AAW will take us through the headline findings and what they tell us about the current state of fundraising in Ireland.

But the numbers are only the starting point.

Following the research presentation, Jane Trenaman will lead a panel discussion with sector leaders exploring what sits behind the data and, importantly, what charities can do with it.

Together, we’ll examine some of the big questions facing fundraising leaders today:

Beyond ROI: When is ROI a useful measure of fundraising performance — and when can it give an incomplete picture?

Investing for growth: What level of investment is needed to unlock sustainable fundraising growth, and how can fundraisers make the case for that investment internally?

Building capacity: Are Irish fundraising teams too lean? What can UK comparisons tell us about team size, specialist skills, multiple-hat roles and the growing importance of data?

Where’s the opportunity? From regular giving and donor retention to direct mail and legacies, where does the benchmark point to untapped potential?

The session will move beyond simply presenting the findings and create space for an open discussion about what Ireland can learn from the data, from the UK and from each other.

What you’ll take away

By the end of the session, attendees will have a clearer understanding of the findings from the second CII Fundraising Benchmark and how fundraising performance, investment, team capacity and income growth interact.

You’ll also gain practical insight into where opportunities for growth may lie, how to interpret measures such as ROI more effectively, and what the research could mean for organisations at different sizes and stages of fundraising maturity.

Who should attend?

This event is designed for Fundraising Directors, senior fundraisers, CEOs and others responsible for fundraising strategy, investment and organisational growth within Irish charities.

As the Cii Fundraising Benchmark enters its second year, we are beginning to move beyond a single snapshot towards a developing evidence base for fundraising in Ireland.

Join us to explore what the latest data tells us — and how we can use it to make better decisions about people, investment, strategy and the future growth of fundraising in Ireland.

If you can’t make it to the event, don’t worry — we’ll be sharing a recording with all Cii members of Tobin Aldrich from AAW Group presenting and unpacking the key findings from the research.