The main areas of fundraising
The Harry Secombe soft sell legacy approach
by Ken Burnett
This campaign dates back to the late 1980s and was created by Burnett Associates Limited with Dennis Kingshot at the NSPCC.
Read moreRoyal National Lifeboat Institution: ‘boots’ advertisement
by SOFII
The shopping list is a classic fundraiser's device and this ad exploits the instrument to its full, offering the donor, in effect, the chance to kit out his or her hero.
Read moreAfrican National Congress: the emergency pre-election fundraising, from 1992
by SOFII
The ANC campaign that pioneered professional political fundraising in the UK and offered the British public the chance to play an active role in getting rid of apartheid forever.The campaign raised £2 million in six months with no budget and just one paid member of staff.
Read moreActionAid: the welcome to child sponsorship package
by SOFII
ActionAid’s child sponsorship programme has been running in the UK for over 35 years. In 2008, they revisited the enquirer and welcome packs with the intention of making the materials the best that could be found anywhere.
Read moreYouthreach: ‘if I were rain’ publishing for a good cause
by SOFII
This book poignantly captures how children retain their intelligence and innocence despite the most trying circumstances. This book transforms lives. And raises money too.
Read moreGreenpeace Australia Pacific: the welcome process
by SOFII
Think objectively about the experience a new donor has within the first few months of joining your organisation. Greenpeace Australia Pacific has developed a new and simplified process to ensure that new donors receive clear communications that both thank and further engage them. The result is that they’re reducing the number of donors who leave within the first three months.
Read moreGreenpeace UK welcome materials, from 1992
by SOFII
This is an important record of an approach to thanking and welcoming donors from back in the days when the idea of sayinging ‘thank you’ and ‘welcome’ was quite new to most organisations and barely understood in the emerging field of donor relationship development.
Read moreMith Samlanh Cambodia: the ‘buy a brick’ land campaign
by SOFII
Ah, that great fundraising stalwart, the brick! How a standard product and colourful involvement device saved a splendid children’s home from having to close its doors. This capital campaign encourages individual supporters to ‘buy a brick’ and help Friends International to buy its Mith Samlanh Centre, Phnom Penh.
Read moreSteel Yard: ‘fund a day’ appeal
by SOFII
Every now and then we see great fundraising ideas that can be easily adapted and adopted by other nonprofit organisations, particularly smaller ones. This example is particularly useful as it shows a small organisation raising money imaginatively to cover its general running costs.
Read moreGreenpeace USA newsletter: the origami whale
by Matthew Sherrington
If you want to engage your donors give them something interesting and fun to do. This is an example of transforming the humble newsletter, with new energy and purpose, to deliver a real involving experience to supporters.
Read moreSean Triner’s 40th birthday appeal
by Sean Triner
A highly personal and very effective anniversary fundraising effort from an acknowledged master of the detailed, well-structured ask.
Read moreKen Burnett’s two great stories.
by Ken Burnett
Here are two grainy, shaky but very inspiring stories; Gabriella’s new feet and The worst tourist in the world.
Read more
