The Ken Burnett archive
Welcome to the Ken Burnett archive! This is a repository of all the words and wisdom of SOFII’s founder, a man with over forty years’ (sorry Ken) experience in fundraising, charities and social change. Drawing on his extensive website, www.kenburnett.com and many other published sources, we’ll bring you recollections, thought pieces and case studies from a stellar career in the sector.
The tester’s dilemma: to go on, or give up?
by Ken Burnett
‘When should we accept that our brilliant idea just isn’t going to work?’ asks Ken Burnett in this latest article on testing.
Read moreThe use and misuse of emotion part one
by Ken Burnett
Why fundraisers should study emotions and learn to use them better.
Read moreThe use and misuse of emotion, part two.
by Ken Burnett
Three steps to transform how fundraisers communicate emotionally.
Read moreWorld-changers at Work presents: a life-stage fairytale - how Beryl and Clive found the meaning of life.
by Ken Burnett
In an excerpt of his Storytelling can change the world book recreated for World-changers at Work, Ken Burnett asks how fundraisers can help people find meaning in their life to make a difference to the world. The answer? Tell great stories.
Read moreCDE project 6 section 4.5c: The Dóchas code of conduct on images and messages.
by Ken Burnett
As part of CDE project 6 on the use and misuse of emotion, Ken Burnett explains what the Dóchas code of conduct on images and messages is and why it is necessary for our organisations.
Read moreCDE project 6. Section 5.4b: the moody leader
by Ken Burnett
In an extract from his book Storytelling can change the world, Ken Burnett looks at moody leaders from history and explores how emotion can play a part in strong leadership.
Read more中国网络筹款的现状和趋势 ——Ken Burnett点评《2014中国网络捐赠第三方平台研究报告》
by Ken Burnett
这一报告的摘要表明，在线筹款最近在中国已经取得了很大的进展，很可能在不久的将来表现出更大的增长潜力。但是，虽然有很好的理由保持乐观，也需要吸取一些教训。很明显，中国的募捐人可以获得更多，如果他们学会正确的互联网融资。
Read moreNotes from Ken Burnett following his review of the document ‘Current Situation and Tendency of Internet Fundraising in China’.
by Ken Burnett
This summary from the report shows that on-line digital fundraising has already made great progress in China recently and is likely to show even more potential for growth in the very near future. But, while there is good cause for optimism, some lessons have been learned and it is clear that Chinese fundraisers can gain even more, if they learn to do Internet fundraising right.
Read moreMagic moments part two: how some of the world’s best causes got started
by Aline Reed & Ken Burnett
SOFII casts its spotlight on the early instants of inspiration that gave rise to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Greenpeace, Centrepoint, Freedom from Torture, NSPCC, the Fred Hollows Foundation and University College London
Read moreMagic moments part one: how small beginnings inspire great causes
by Aline Reed & Ken Burnett
In this article Aline Reed and Ken Burnett describe some great founding moments – how small beginnings can inspire great causes.
Read moreThe emotional brain
by Ken Burnett
Seasoned fundraiser Ken Burnett says of his latest article, The Emotional Brain, ‘It seems to me that fundraisers don’t know as much as they might about what it is that makes people give and why; what makes them loyal or repeat donors and what binds them to our cause above other causes, come what may. So I’m fairly sure that the emotional brain is the most important subject I’ve written about in a long time. Working on it has quite altered my view of what, as fundraisers, we should be doing when we acquire and then communicate with our donors.’
Read moreCommitment. And why it matters more than anything for fundraisers
by Ken Burnett
Has the argument about the value of donor commitment finally been brought to an end? Ken Burnett reports on how Roger Craver of the Agitator and his colleague Kevin Schulman have developed a way to calculate your donors’ commitment and, from this, ascribe a commitment score to each of them.
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