Communications toolbox
How can you raise money for your organisation if no-one knows about the good work you do or the need for funds? In the SOFII communications toolbox you will find some great tools and advice to help you tell stories to your donors that will motivate them to give.
Forcing or forging a relationship? Part 5: what’s your real message? Or, how to be relevant
by Charlie Hulme
Do you really know your donors? Do you know why they give you money? Does it matter? Yes, says Charlie Hulme. If we want to keep our donors so expensively recruited we have to make sure our messages are relevant to what they want. We can’t do that if we don’t know what that is.
Read moreWhy I support 12 different charities
by Laura Croudace
How can you learn and improve if your training budget is titchy? Get out and donate says Laura Croudace, who wants a steady stream of fundraising pouring through her letterbox because she learns so much from it. And all those donations are still cheaper than most seminars and workshops.
Read moreWhat’s next in fundraising?
by Emily Henry
SOFII and The Agitator joined forces with Revolutionise to identify, foster and develop new journalistic talent in fundraising. We offered five free places for the 2014 Annual Lectures to aspiring fundraising writers, who submitted a short piece on ‘what’s next in fundraising?’ Here’s one of the winning entries…
Read moreImperial War Museum: Indra Sinha’s Eric Heaton ad, from 1985
by Carolina Herrera
This is a classic press ad from advertising legend Indra Sinha that helped mend a leaky roof. It’ll have you in tears too, as it shows you how to tell a good story.
Read moreNew research shows how charities can create remarkable corporate partnerships
by Remarkable Partnerships
Remarkable Partnerships, a new report from Jonathon Andrews shows that when charities and companies partner in a remarkable way they deliver huge impact, have wider reach, create more opportunities and last longer. Read SOFII’s summary here. Then get the full report, free.
Read moreFive steps to creating corporate partnerships
by Remarkable Partnerships
Have you seen the little woolly hats on top of Innocent smoothies and thought that’s brilliant? Or perhaps you’ve bought a packet of Pampers that includes a donation to UNICEF?
Read moreIs your newsletter great donor relationship-building, or an unwise self-indulgence?
by Tom Ahern & Sean Triner
Almost all nonprofits produce a newsletter and send it out with their warm appeals. But should they?
Read moreTen tips to spur the creative grant proposal-writing process
by Pamela Grow
Pamela says: ‘Your final step should be a gracious letter to the foundation, thanking them for their time and their thorough review of your proposal. You’d be surprised at how few organisations take the time to thank the foundation.’
Read moreIn-memoriam donation thank-you letter samples
by Lisa Sargent
These letters are part of Lisa Sargent’s thank-you letter clinic: How to write lively memorial donation thank-you letters.
Read moreA debt to the master: the Ogilvy effect
by Ken Burnett
Part two of SOFII’s tribute to ‘the pope of advertising’, David Ogilvy.
Read moreGrant writing in a character limited world
by Charlene Rocha
Has technology saved you time and trouble when writing an application for a grant? Or do you find online application forms limit how much you can say? Click here to find how you can get all your valuable information across in fewer words.
Read moreWhat do companies want from charity partners?
by Remarkable Partnerships
Corporate fundraising seems to raise passionate debate. Some say that’s all it raises; others that it’s a potential golden goose. If you’re not sure, check out this first in SOFII’s new series on how to raise money from the commercial world.
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