Almost a quarter of donors say they have increased the amount they gave to charity this year, new research indicates.

The announcement is part of a 'market update' which highlights untapped social investment opportunities for social enterprises and charities.

Small businesses with high potential to grow have been given a £40 million boost.

The National Lottery has raised £29bn for UK good causes since its launch 18 years ago today, according to official figures from the National Lottery Promotions Unit.

This year’s BBC Children in Need appeal raised a record £26.7m on the night.

Fundraising experts have questioned the findings of a report that shows charitable giving in 2011/12 fell by £2.3bn in real terms.

The Institute of Fundraising has launched a single Code of Fundraising Practice to replace its 28 "long and repetitive" original codes.

Health and Social Care charities are to benefit from an injection of £5.4 million to support local health and care programmes, Care and Support Minister Norman Lamb announced.

The first three years of life can profoundly influence children's life chances. The Big Lottery Fund (BLF) has moved to invest £165 million in improving the life chances of over 10,000 of England's most vulnerable babies.

Donations to charity fell by 20% in real terms during 2011/12. The public gave £1.7bn less to charity than the previous year, according to the longest-running and most authoritative annual study of giving across the United Kingdom.