Foundations of Fundraising
Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA): John’s journey

by SOFII
This story is powerful, inspiring, direct, humbling and honest.
Read moreAssessing your board’s governance capacity

by Simone Joyaux
If you need to do individual assessments of each member of your board, but aren’t sure how to go about it Simone Joyaux shows you the route to optimum board performance.
Read moreThe Absent-Minded Beggar: bigger than Band Aid?

by Aline Reed
The first-ever fundraising song? If you thought Band Aid was the first fundraising song ever, this’ll surprise you. Aline Reed has been digging around in the past and discovered a much earlier version created by a rather illustrious team – Rudyard Kipling and Sir Arthur Sullivan (without Gilbert this time). It’s not exactly rock and roll, but did raise the equivalent today of £25 million.
Read moreGiving Scotland: crisis campaign

by SOFII
The Giving Scotland campaign was launched in the face of intense scrutiny of charities in Scotland but this courageous campaign changed everything.
Read moreBreakthrough: the ‘is this justice’ campaign

by SOFII
This is a brave campaign that fearlessly speaks out against social injustice in societies where such issues are rarely discussed, far less confronted.
Read moreAmnesty International press advertisement - North Korea’s death camps

by Ken Burnett
A challenge. Start reading. If you make it to the end you’ll know what to do next.
Read moreBhopal Medical Appeal: Press advertisements

by Indra Sinha
On one awful night in 1984 the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal, India exploded sending clouds of poisonous gas across the city that would kill tens of thousands of people and inflict misery and suffering on future generations. Thus began the Bhopali people’s search for justice and treatment, which led to the founding of the BMA, whose advertisements have become the symbols of a crime that, more than 25 years later, still inflicts unimaginable suffering and still goes unpunished. The Bhopal Medical Appeal campaigns to change this, through its fundraising.
Read moreCPAR: ‘plant a tree in Ethiopia’ mailing

by SOFII
Ethiopia has to be one of the most difficult fundraising markets in the world. Yet this pack produced results that most more sophisticated fundraisers can only dream of.
Read moreMagic moments: The founding of Cripplegate Foundation and North London Cares

by Aline Reed & Ken Burnett
There is a lot going on in this addition to SOFII’s founding magic moments. It has a wonderful ghost story and is a great example of a consistent donor relationship that has lasted over 500 years. And it shows how philanthropy moves on, changes and can help younger organisations do the same.
Read moreRyton Gardens: recyclable mailing

by SOFII
Ryton Garden’s famous recyclable mailing is one of the best ever examples of the benefits fundraisers can realise when they show that they really understand their donors.
Read moreHow effective are your board members?

by Simone Joyaux
There’s a big difference between the board and its board members. Remember that the board does corporate governance – and that only happens when the board is together at meetings. Corporate governance is a collective act.
Read moreWhat do you talk about at your board meetings?

by Simone Joyaux
Wait! Don’t answer that yet. Instead, let’s start at the very beginning: what is the purpose of a board?
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