New research has found that there is a significant gap between those who support causes and those who actually donate to them, which IMI International believes can best be closed by clear, repeated messaging about an organization’s mission.

According to IMI’s survey,  there is a “say-do” gap when it comes to fundraising and cause marketing: roughly nine in 10 Canadians say it is important to support nonprofits – unchanged since the research firm began measuring the sentiment about 25 years ago – but only 58% of Canadians have actually supported charities in the past 12 months.

Major “say-do” gaps occur when it comes to environmental issues, specifically climate change: 54% of Canadians say climate change is a “major issue,” but only 23% have donated to the cause. There is a lesser, but still present, gap in mental health, with 53% saying it’s a key issue, while 32% have done something to support the cause.

Still, with so many Canadians saying charitable giving is important, it represents a big opportunity, says Laura Janes, SVP at IMI,

According to Janes, clarifying an organization’s mission has potential to overcome the gap. Organizations need to realize that consumers have lives, so once nonprofits interface with would-be donors, regardless of where, clarity of messaging and reason for being are vital.

IMI examined 200 nonprofits looking at brand health, brand optimization and campaign optimization, finding that 29% of respondents were either very or somewhat familiar with the charities.

The survey also found that 46% trust the 200 charities, but the more familiar someone is with a charity, their intention to donate more than doubles.

The most well-known charities, though not all, have a global presence, like Ronald McDonald House or UNICEF. The rest of the most well-known nonprofits include Salvation Army, Heart & Stroke, Food Banks Canada, The Terry Fox Foundation, Canadian Red Cross, Canadian Cancer Society, United Way and Children’s Wish.

And it’s not just money that is the primary means of support, though that Even though money is the most popular means of support (52%), there is also recommending or talking about a charity (22%), following via a social media site (17%), volunteering time (17%), purchasing merch (15%), attending events (13%) and participating in fundraising (12%).

IMI recommends casting a wide net while emphasizing local impact, and tells charities not to be afraid to repeat and reinforce key messages. It also suggests strategizing by audience (one time, versus monthly and annual givers), relying on core supporters/volunteers and making donations as easy as possible.