Giva Sverige: “The Fundraising Compass Creates Great Value"

The world is becoming increasingly complex. Demands on non-profit organizations are rising. And access to reliable data has never been more important.
Giva Sverige—the Swedish industry association for trustworthy giving—shares its sector insights and explains how a syndicated tool like the Fundraising Compass can create real value for its members, and ultimately, for society at large.

Giva Sverige – Building Trust in Giving

At its core, Giva Sverige works to strengthen trust in charitable giving. The association’s 180 members represent a wide range of non-profit organizations of different sizes, purposes, and geographic reach—all united by a shared mission: to contribute to a better world.

As a driving force in the sector, Giva Sverige supports its members by improving conditions for private funding through donations, grants, and partnerships. A cornerstone of this work is the Quality Code, a set of ethical and financial guidelines that members commit to. Beyond that, the association serves as an industry voice and offers knowledge, training, and professional development opportunities for both organizations and their employees.

Rising Demands in a Complex World

Over the years, Giva Sverige has observed how increasing global complexity and macrotrends—such as digitalization—place new demands on donor organizations. Today, access to data, the ability to analyze it, and the use of insights for decision-making have become mission-critical.

"For donor organizations, it is absolutely vital to understand the impact of different initiatives, both in the short and long term."

Charlotte Rydh, Secretary General, Giva Sverige

Charlotte Rydh explains that organizations funded by private donations face growing expectations to make professional and effective decisions with limited resources—and this pressure is only set to increase.

Without a solid understanding of awareness, consideration, and long-term brand effects, organizations risk focusing exclusively on short-term call-to-action marketing. This, she warns, could ultimately undermine fundraising.

Why Brand Strength Matters in the Non-Profit Sector

Even for non-profits, brand performance is critical. As Rydh points out:

“A brand is ultimately just a word trying to capture the public’s combined experience of what an organization stands for, what it aims to achieve, and how well it delivers. Even if you don’t like to speak in branding terms, it remains essential to understand your organization’s impact and how to amplify it in order to truly serve your mission.”

The Role of Data in Decision-Making

Mårten Palmefors, Senior Analyst at Giva Sverige, emphasizes the growing need for a data-driven approach. He highlights that building a stronger culture of consistent data use is not only important but necessary to increase public giving in Sweden.

“Especially in times of uncertainty, data provides a shared foundation for decision-making—reducing the risk of short-term, emotion-driven choices. At the same time, data allows organizations to better understand the real impact of their efforts.”

Mårten Palmefors, Senior Analyst, Giva Sverige

This was one of the main drivers behind Giva Sverige’s collaboration with Odyssey and Silver to develop the Fundraising Compass.

Fundraising Compass – A Syndicated Resource for the Sector

Serving as a hub of knowledge, Giva Sverige has long strived to provide its members with access to statistics and reports. The Fundraising Compass is a natural extension of that role, enabling organizations to build knowledge not only individually but also collectively as a sector.

“Access to knowledge through a syndicated tool like the Fundraising Compass is valuable both for individual organizations and for our industry as a whole. Odyssey and Silver have created an offering that is very favorable for our members, and we are pleased to see so many taking advantage of it.”
Mårten Palmefors

The Value of Fundraising Compass for Members

For each member organization, the Fundraising Compass helps highlight challenges and opportunities based on their unique position. Beyond tracking individual development, the tool also enables comparison with similar organizations—placing performance into a broader context.

Rydh concludes:

“The Fundraising Compass not only provides insight into brand development and giving behavior but also delivers a wide range of valuable sector-wide insights. We see it as delivering exceptional value compared to the cost.”

Understanding Donors in Depth with the Fundraising Compass

The Fundraising Compass continuously monitors public perceptions of non-profits in Sweden and provides insight into what donors value most—and how they are likely to act.

Every month, more than 300 nationally representative interviews are conducted. Results are presented in an interactive platform, giving organizations immediate access to insights.

Strategic Questions Answered by the Fundraising Compass:

How many people know about your organization, and how many would consider donating?
Which target groups should you prioritize, and what motivates them?
How does your organization compare to others in terms of share of awareness and share of wallet?
What emerging trends are shaping the giving landscape today?

The takeaway: In a rapidly changing world, data is not just a tool—it is the foundation for smarter decisions, stronger brands, and more impactful giving. With the Fundraising Compass, Giva Sverige empowers its members to better understand their donors and, ultimately, maximize their societal impact.

Want to dig into the details?

This is just the tip of the iceberg. If you want to learn more about the fundraising sector, dig into the details and intricacies, get access to our demo version, and understand it all from your organization´s perspective, don’t hesitate to contact us through our website.

Read more about our Fundraising solution - Fundraising Compass.

Interested in brand tracking and how it can give you the edge?

We at Odyssey love brand tracking and understanding industries from a data-driven brand intelligence approach. No matter your industry, with our Brand Compass you get the edge and can stay ahead of your competition whilst realizing your true potential. Contact us and we’ll help you track your brand's performance.

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