The main areas of fundraising
ISRT thank-you and welcome letter
by SOFII
ISRT produced a ‘welcome pack on a single page’. This low cost example of donor relationship development shows fundraising creativity at its simplest and best. Every fundraising organisation could and should aspire to have a thank-you programme and materials at least as good as this.
Read moreActionAid: the inserts with built-in reply mechanism
by SOFII
This promotion raised £millions and won almost every direct marketing award going. It also helped propel a new and little known organisation called ActionAid into the list of Britain's top 20 charities. Action Aid created a new format, which was then copied by dozens, perhaps hundreds of other organisations.
Read moreOxfam’s press ads from the 1950s and 60s
by SOFII
These press advertisements really did change the course of fundraising in Britain. They helped Oxfam to grow into a substantial international charity. Though they might seem crude and simplistic now, these ads very effectively alerted the post-war British public to considerable humanitarian needs abroad.
Read moreWWF Canada: new donor questionnaire
by SOFII
This questionnaire, though a separate and distinctive part of WWF’s new donor welcome process, is an integral part of it. Great donor development in practice, and easy to emulate.
Read moreSoil Association: membership development
by SOFII
This instructive exhibit shows how it is possible to target different types of member by carefully segmenting donor files and structuring membership offers according to the different donor groups found on the Soil Association’s database. But you need to really understand your donors.
Read moreWWF Canada: welcome pack for new donors
by SOFII
Learn how to engage and retain your donors from this early example of a donor-centred welcome pack. This is a very good and highly copyable example of the genre. And, most noteworthy perhaps is that this pack has been structured and written around what the donor would want, not what the organisation wants.
Read moreNSPCC: the Little Book of Change
by SOFII
A brilliant example of stewardship at its best, the NSPCC’s Little Book of Change is a superbly-chosen high value thank you for major donors and volunteers alike. The Little Book of Change was designed to bring to life a range of outcomes for children that had previously been presented in a statistical report. Individual stories of children and families are shown through letters, poems, stories, magazine articles and drawings. This approach could be utilised by any organisation to make its key stakeholders feel part of what the organisation is trying to achieve and to secure their help in the long-term.
Read moreRNLI: the legacy letter
by SOFII
This is a classic example of a direct appeal to supporters, asking for information that will help plan future income. The candid, plain-speaking, respectful copy reminds supporters that RNLI relies heavily on legacies to fund their work. You can read the whole thing here.
Read moreStation WDCN, Nashville, USA: special ‘thank you’ to a donor
by SOFII
A fundraiser really listening to her donor, thinking on her feet and responding in an entirely appropriate and personal manner with a communication that any donor would be delighted to receive.
Read moreGreenpeace Sweden’s legacy commercials
by SOFII
Colourful cartoon characters present the threats to their environment and set up a conversation about legacies for Greenpeace in Sweden. It’s all about trying new things and taking risks, which too many organisations shy away from. Greenpeace International has developed a structure to make them possible.
Read moreChildren’s Cancer Institute of Australia: bequest conversion pack
by SOFII
This very detailed exhibit shows clearly how to ask donors and potential donors for the biggest gift they’ll ever make – a legacy. The campaign achieved brilliant results and stands out in the charity sector as an example of good bequest (legacy) marketing. It showed that asking someone for a bequest doesn’t have to be daunting and risky, as long as it is done in a sensitive, respectful manner that offers an emotive and compelling case for support.
Read moreDirectChange.org website
by SOFII
Is this the future of fundraising; giving donors direct control over where their money goes, instant feedback and the flexibility to decide what they will support, when and how? DirectChange.org is an exemplary use of new technology to bring new donors (and a new generation of donors) into charity to help meet urgent needs.
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