Tough Mudder

by Michelle Chambers

A success story from non-professional fundraisers, this time two young men.

Tough Mudder is a challenge that includes fire, ice and electric shock obstacles and is more about camaraderie and team spirit than being the best. So far it has raised £5 million across the globe.

Jack Draws Anything

by Alexandra Aggidis

Six-year-old Jack wanted to raise £100 for The Royal Hospital for Sick Children to say thank you to them for looking after his brother. His brilliant idea – which he thought of entirely by himself – did what all fundraisers want to do. He touched the hearts of everyone who saw it.

Emory University’s Blue Pig Campaign

by SOFII

Emory University started the Blue Pig Campaign to encourage its undergraduate students to give to the university and foster good links for alumni fundraising by using a Facebook account and Twitter profile.

San Francisco Zoo’s ‘adopt-an-animal’ campaign

by SOFII

Many charities have seasonal appeals: Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day… Would you be brave enough to take a swerve from the traditional? Yes? Then go to Tycely Williams’ story of the San Francisco Zoo’s offer of a gift, but not to a loved one – that’s too predictable – you can send a hissing cockroach to a nasty ex.

Amnesty International UK’s virtual reality in street fundraising

by SOFII

Face-to-face, or street, fundraising gets so much criticism, so SOFII is thrilled to bring this shining example of it at its best. Through simple virtual reality headsets Amnesty International UK is showing how devastating barrel bombs are to the people of Syria. Click here so that you can see how ‘suddenly everything “over there’” becomes vivid and real’.

Bitcoin for fundraisers

by SOFII

Is Bitcoin the next ‘BIG THING’ for fundraisers? Could it work wonders for your organisation?

Children’s Medical Research Institute: the video that broke the Internet’s heart

by SOFII

Click here to see the video from Australia’s Children’s Medical Research Institute that ‘broke the Internet’s heart’.

Cancer Research UK’s Dryathlon

by SOFII

If you think that the cause should never take second place in an appeal, click here to see how Cancer Research UK’s Dryathlon did exactly that. And raised £4.5 million.

JustGiving: a ‘for profit, for good’ platform for online giving.

by SOFII

Is JustGiving the most transformational development in the UK charitable sector since the introduction of street face-to-face fundraising? Find out here. 

The Children’s Center, Detroit: ‘children should be seen and not hurt’ winter appeal

by Marie Burnett

How the Children's Center in Detroit turned dwindling finances and donations into a huge success through a seamless, integrated, multi-channel campaign. 

WaterAid: The Big Dig

by Reuben Turner

A very fine example of how storytelling, done right, can change the world. Isn’t the infographic just great? (SOFII loves the crossed legs). This campaign is fun, innovative, engaging, emotional (imagine how you’d feel with no toilet…) and highly effective as, inevitably, real storytelling in real time was bound to be. Altogether brilliant.

Ten easy fixes for the design of your donation form

by Beate Sørum

Beate Sorum shares digital how-tos, things to do and not to do and 10 tips to make your online donation form work much better.