The Fundraiser’s Toolbox
You know that fundraising is hard work. To be successful you need to be well equipped to take on all its challenges. At SOFII, we thought you might like some help. So we’ve put together this fundraiser’s toolbox that we’ll be filling with essential examples, formats, articles, case studies, ideas and tips that we think every fundraiser should know about.
The treehouse of knowledge – the 34 fundamental foundations of fundraising
by Ken Burnett
Of all the nuggets of essential fundraising knowledge buried within all the lists, books and articles ever written, which would be the one list, that you’d choose to hang directly above your space, your workplace? This is that list.
Read moreHow effective is your welcome programme?
by Erik Van Dorp
Many charities have a welcome programme in place to keep more donors giving, to make them feel welcome, or to ask for more money. For whatever the reason you have your welcome flow, there is always room for improvement. So, here’s a simple 10-point checklist that will help you estimate how much room for improvement there actually is.
Read moreYou just gotta love older people
by Sean Triner
If you are a fundraiser, you just gotta love older people. Fundraisers, on average are pretty young. Donors, on average are pretty old. So we have an interesting gap to overcome in connecting these fundraisers and donors.
Read moreA new approach to fundraising – why you should be accessing your donors’ networks
by Richard Turner
It’s time to ring the changes in the way we raise money. Rather than just looking at our donors’ financial capital says Richard Turner, we could be using their social capital to make fundraising so much better for them and our causes.
Read moreAre communication departments the enemy of fundraisers?
by Richard Radcliffe
Richard Radcliffe thinks some charity communication teams are stupid and shares some stories to show why. What do you think?
Read moreAsk-phobia: how to overcome ask aversion
by Rory Green
If the thought of asking someone for money, in person, over the phone, or in a letter, makes you break out in a sweat here are five simple tips from Rory Green to help you out.
Read moreIf it were easy to do we wouldn’t need you
by Karen Osborne
Karen Osborne explains why you should avoid the easy route if you want transformational major gifts for your organisation.
Read moreHow I wrote it: the NSPCC’s Simple pack
by Robbie Rae
When Robbie Rae started working as a fundraising copywriter at the turn of the millennium, he felt that true masters of direct mail had perfected the art in all its form. Despite that, he thought that it was time to change the orthodoxy. Click here to discover how he wrote a hugely successful pack that did just that.
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 moreSeven things that will make you a better fundraiser
by Margaux Smith
Margaux Smith may be relatively new on the fundraising scene, but she has some pretty good ideas on how you could become an even better fundraiser.
Read moreTwenty symptoms of fundraising trouble
by Reinier Spruit
Twenty symptoms of fundraising trouble from Reinier Spruit. If you recognise too many, he says, you could be in trouble yourself.
Read moreWhy asking and thanking is all wrong
by Matthew Sherrington
Do you think Matthew Sherrington is just being controversial when he says that asking and thanking are wrong? Or does he have a point?
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