The main areas of fundraising

Can we talk about community fundraising?

by Kevin Delaney

SOFII trustee and Irish fundraiser, Kevin Delaney, takes a closer look at the challenges facing community fundraising – before offering you some tips for how to unlock the potential of this income stream.

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Charity Right: ‘AI vs real people’ image test

by Jamal Abbas

There are a lot of potential uses for artificial intelligence (AI) in fundraising. Jamal Abbas shares how one charity set out to discover what worked better in an online fundraising campaign, AI generated images or those taken by a team of skilled photographers. 

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Youth PWR: Face-to-face funds youth empowerment initiatives

by Dee Onigbanjo

For a young, emerging charity, trying out a new form of fundraising can be a daunting prospect. But we hope this face-to-face (F2F) fundraising success story will motivate others to be brave and bold. 

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Direct mail clinics – Introduction and contents

by Joanna Culling

Welcome to the Agents of Good (AOG) free direct mail clinics. These 11 useful video lessons offer you tried and tested tips that will make your direct mail appeals more engaging and effective. Please explore all the clinics and share them widely with your fundraising friends.

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Fundraising in India – Exploring why face-to-face continues to grow

by Ryan Valasapali and Dominic Will

As Gather Campaigns work to expand face-to-face (F2F) fundraising in India, Ryan Valasapali and Dominic Will explore the cultural similarities and differences that determine how F2F can grow in new, international markets.

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Direct mail clinic #2 – Envelopes

by Carolina Herrera

In this direct mail clinic, John Lepp asks you to (please!) turn your attention to envelopes. They are one of the most misunderstood and often ignored parts of a fundraising appeal, but your envelope is key to ensuring a donor opens your pack and engages with what you have to say.

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Direct mail clinic #3 – How do humans make decisions?

by Carolina Herrera

Why are so many fundraisers talking about decision science? In this clinic, John Lepp explains that understanding what drives donor decisions is key to improving your direct mail appeals. It is a great place to start on your decision science journey, so watch this clinic and get to know how you can apply these techniques to your next campaign.

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Direct mail clinic #4 – What goes in the box?

by Carolina Herrera

You probably know what goes in a direct marketing fundraising appeal, but do you know why each piece is there? And do you know why making simple changes to those pieces can have an impact on the success of your campaign? John Lepp has these answers and more, in his next direct mail clinic. 

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Direct mail clinic #5 – A letter autopsy

by Carolina Herrera

How confident are you in your letter writing? Are you looking for some useful tips before you write your next appeal? In clinic five, John takes on fundraising letters and shares some simple, effective tricks that will help you engage with your donors and raise more money. 

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The Westminster Abbey Appeal

by Damian Chapman

Damian Chapman celebrates the Westminster Abbey Appeal of 1953. A massive £1 million was needed to repair the damage caused by German attacks during WWII, but the Abbey’s appeal started off slowly. Keep reading to find out how the fundraisers involved reached their target.     

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The IUCN and Lacoste: ‘Save Our Species’ partnership

by Manon Oliver

The results of this partnership speak for themselves. Funds raised – tick. Awareness raised – tick. Endangered species saved – tick. Keep reading to find out why Oxfam’s Manon Oliver admires what is a truly creative collaboration. 

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Legacies through the lens of faith

by Naomi Collison

In an increasingly multicultural world, how we engage and inspire donors from different backgrounds and faiths is important. This article explores the unique traditions and beliefs that underlie faiths and looks at how religion frames philanthropy.

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