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.

You 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.

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If 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.

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Ask-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.

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Are 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?

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A 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.

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How 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.

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Notes 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. 

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Why 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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Twenty 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.

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Seven 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.

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Introducing the Commission on the Donor Experience

by SOFII

This summer fundraising in the UK has been under attack like never before with alarming consequences in damaged trust and loss of public confidence for Britain’s charities. Now a large group of voluntary sector leaders is coming together to do something about it.

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Do you want to increase your fundraising income by spending a tenner?

by Laura Croudace

If you are looking for a fundraising mentor, you won’t go wrong with this book says Laura Croudace in her review of Rob Woods new work, The Fundraiser Who Wanted More.

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