Foundations of Fundraising

Dr Barnardo’s Homes: how the death of Carrots led to a powerful slogan, from 1866

by SOFII

The death of a lonely young boy led Dr Barnardo to declare that the children’s homes that bore his name should never, ever close their doors to any child. A great example of fine writing combined with sincerity.

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WaterAid’s plastic bag mailing

by SOFII

Every day in developing countries thousands of women (mainly) face the difficult task of fetching and carrying water from its source to their homes. It’s a gruelling daily duty most donors would find very hard to imagine. Could this concept be applied imaginatively to a fundraising appeal? Of course it could!

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Deerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters from 1960, letter 22

by SOFII

It has been a pleasure and a privilege to bring you all these letters from that master of direct mail letter-writing, Bruce Barton. But, as the infamous ‘they’ say, ‘all good things must come to an end’. Yes, this is the last SOFII has. But, of course, as they also say, ‘the glass is half full’, so maybe there are more out there that will find their way to SOFII.

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15 things I would do if I were the new head of donor development, part 2

by Ken Burnett

These 15 strategies aren’t the only things I’d do. They may not even be the most urgent things I’d do, or even the most important. But they are the things I’d do that I think would have the most lasting impact, that would make the most difference to converting my imaginary donor development department from the under-funded, misunderstood appendage to the fundraising function that I found on joining the organization, into the finely honed, high-earning core activity that I’d like to leave behind me when, in the fullness of time, I move on to pastures new (you have to indulge me a little here, in this fantasy).

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Deerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters from 1957 and 1958, letters 20 and 21

by SOFII

Bruce Barton’s letters are all about the donors’ achievements, so are welcome news packed with flattery and tales of selflessness and fine motives.

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Deerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters from 1956 and 1957, letters 18 and 19

by SOFII

There’s no trickery in these letters, no artifice, no phoney PSs. Just direct, honest talking put in such an endearing and charming way as to become irresistible for those recipients who share the writer’s enthusiasm for Deerfield Academy and his passionate belief that it should give the best education possible to its students.

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Deerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters from 1955 and 1956, letters 16 and 17

The Bruce Barton Letters

by SOFII

A four-year gap between Bruce Barton's letters for Deerfield Academy in no way diminished his exceptional capacity for penning a powerful appeal. Read, reflect and recycle, for there is real treasure here.

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Deerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters from 1951, letter 15

by SOFII

With all the usual captivation and craftsmanship of a classic Bruce Barton letter, this provides a very valuable lesson in donor care from 60 years ago that is just as relevant today.

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Deerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters from the turn of the 1950s, letters 12, 13 and 14

by SOFII

It's a delight now to add letters 12, 13 and 14 to this growing SOFII series featuring legendary writer Bruce Barton's brilliantly conversational direct mail letters for Deerfield Academy.

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Deerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters for letters 9, 10 and 11, from 1948 and 1949

by SOFII

Reporting back, storytelling and irresistible offers – more fundraising gems from Bruce Barton.

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15 things I would do if I were the new head of donor development, part 1

by Ken Burnett

This list came about when a US journal for fundraisers asked me to imagine I’d just started in a new job, with a clean slate and sufficient resources to set about transforming the donor development function. It’s included here to help anyone in an even vaguely similar situation. And to help me set out my philosophy of donor development.

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ITIHAS (I Think I Have a Solution) leadership workshop

by SOFII

If you want to find new angles on fundraising, SOFII has long been an advocate of keeping a close eye on what’s happening in India.

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