Harold Sumption: the shy pioneer

by SOFII Contributors

In this addition to SOFII’s Fundraising Legends series, Joanna Culling talks to Ken Burnett, who proudly shares the full text of Harold’s only published material – Yesterday’s trail-blazing and pointers for tomorrow. 

‘Behind the clock’ legacy marketing – if you aren’t doing it, perhaps you should be

by Eifron Hopper

The decision to make a will and leave a legacy is often one that takes a long while. Find out how to engage with your supporters and deliver the legacy messages that will help them to make one of the most important gifts of all.

The collection: it’s never too late to do something wonderful.

by Ken Burnett

A new fundraising experience for less-than-new fundraiser Ken Burnett: rattling a bucket on behalf of Syrian refugees. Read how he met some interesting people, raised some money and learned that truly it’s never too late to do something wonderful.

In lieu of flowers: how to write lively memorial donation thank-you letters

by Lisa Sargent

Are your in-memoriam donation thank-you letters destined for donor oblivion?

This copywriting clinic looks to help you rescue them from a fate worse than, well… death.

Harvard University: 17th century major gift fundraising

by SOFII-author

The examples in this exhibit are almost 400 years old, yet it would seem that we are still making the same mistakes today when it comes to major gift fundraising.

The Obama effect

by Jonathon Grapsas

Six lessons from President Obama’s fundraising team to help fuel growth in your organisation.

Copywriting and design strategies for better donor newsletters: a before and after success story

by Lisa Sargent

Fundraising copywriter Lisa Sargent and designer Sandie Collette, of S.Collette Design, discuss how copywriting and design go hand-in-hand to make a Dublin-based charity's newsletter overhaul a success. Discover the strategies that helped make it happen in this case study of a nonprofit newsletter.

The early Christian Church: Paul the apostle motivates his church’s donors – c. 56 AD

by SOFII-author

This could be the first ever appeal for regular, committed donors. In the early days of the Christian church the missionary Paul asked his supporters in the city of Corinth to set aside a small portion of their income regularly, to sustain victims of a famine and then later to support good works generally.

To ask or not to ask, that is the question when saying thank you to a donor

by Lisa Sargent & Sean Triner

Find out what Sean Triner, co-founder and director, Pareto Fundraising in Australia and Lisa Sargent, principal at Sargent Communications, LLC in the USA have to say about this.

Conversion of a techno-sceptic

by Richard C McPherson

Only a few things in life are worth missing a flight for. I’d like to tell you about two of them. The first is merely amusing but the other, I think, you will find of more value. The first was only the second flight I’d missed, ever. It was going to Oslo, Norway, but I was stuck on London’s Hammersmith roundabout…

Review by Ken Burnett.