Concern raises record €182.2m for activities in 28 countries

Irish charity Concern raised €182.2 million last year – a 27 per cent increase on the previous year – according to annual figures just filed with the Companies Registration Office.

Spending by the charity in the 28 countries where it operates also increased to record levels, with the 29 per cent rise to €177.2 million being attributed largely to emergency response activities in South Sudan, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nepal.

Despite being characterised as very satisfactory, fundraising came in below target.

Concern raised €41.3 million from corporates and the public through public appeals, community events and “committed giving”, where people commit to direct debt donations. That exceeded the full-year target of €40.1 million. But the €140.8 million raised from government sources and other funders was below the €143.9 million.

The British government remains its single largest financial supporter, providing €28.4 million. Other major funders include Concern Worldwide US Inc (€27.1 million), the Irish Government (€24.6 million) and the EU (€23.6 million).

In its annual report, the charity said it was comfortable it was not becoming overly reliant on any one donor.

Of the total expenditure of €177.2 million last year, 93 per cent, or €165.3 million, was accounted for by its charitable activities, the charity said, with the balance – €11.9 million – being the cost of raising funds. It said the increase in the cost of raising funds was due to extra spending on emergency response campaigns and the cost of opening a new fundraising office in South Korea.

At year end, including an actuarial gain on its pension fund of €1.5 million compared to a €1.22 million loss in 2014, Concern Worldwide had reserves of €52.4 million.