Getting a wider perspective on fundraising: feedback from the Third Sector Fundraising Summit

Earlier this month I attended the Fundraising Summit hosted by the Third Sector, which was a great opportunity to get a wider perspective on what is happening in the fundraising world for big and small VCSE groups. Here are some of my takeaways from the sessions:

Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Larger Charities

One of the interesting observations, made by several contributors, was around larger charities working in more interdisciplinary teams with fundraisers working more closely with marketing teams.  There is also a move for an even greater focus on supporter engagement and participation.

Public Interest in Fundraising Events

44% of the public are interested in fundraising events with young people showing particular interest. Research indicates that people who may not be able to donate still want to “give” through participating.

Wellbeing and long-distance running events are particularly popular. To maximise the impact of these fundraising events, groups need to ensure that both branding and information about the difference the group makes is available and accessible at events.

Impact of the Cost of Giving Crisis

Linked to the cost of giving crisis – the number of people donating has dropped (particularly those on lower incomes) but higher earners have continued to give.  People are donating to fewer charities.

In the last 3 months, there has been a slight drop in donation rates to children’s and to medical charities with an improvement in donations to animal charities.  But the only real growth area is in overseas aid, almost certainly in response to disaster relief campaigns.

Translating Social Media Engagement into Donations

Contributors also looked at how groups can translate good social media engagement into actual donations. Both individual donors and grant providers like to see the difference their donations will make.

So just as we are now all being asked to provide photographs and case studies in our grant reports, we can also use these in our social media posts to harness greater social media engagement.  For example, give tangible evidence e.g.: “your £10 provides….” And try to make the donation process as smooth as possible.

Targeting the Next Generation of Donors

Another topic exercising the conference contributors was how to target your next generation of donors. The Brain Tumour Charity has been looking at the next generation of philanthropists (Millennials and Gen Z – those born between 1981 and 2012).

One fundraising trend they are looking at is the concept of the Donor Advised Fund; (DAF) – these products are popular in the USA and are now appearing in the UK aimed at time-poor but high-net-worth individuals.

DAFs have the potential to alter the traditional relationship-building model of fundraising philanthropy as giving decisions are made by an algorithm based on the individual’s interests rather than an emotional response to an appeal. An example of a popular DAF is The Prism Gift Fun.

Engaging the Next Generation: UNICEF’s Approach

The UNICEF Next Generation engagement programme encompasses volunteering, donating and campaigning which tap into the less transactional approach the younger generation of donors are looking for.

Contributors suggested these younger donors want to use their expertise for volunteering.  For example, young professionals mentoring young people affected by a brain tumour.

They are also interested in micro-volunteering opportunities to engage e.g., careers advice sessions/ lunch and learn sessions just 30 minutes sharing expertise.

Communications with this younger age group need to be short and to the point such as WhatsApp, video clips, Tik Tok etc, not PDF documents or reports.

Fundraising on a Small Budget

Contributors also looked at the perennial question of how to fundraise successfully on a small budget. Tips shared by the presenter from the Macarthy Stone Foundation included working to clear objectives from the outset:

• Build a clear case for support.

• Manage expectations – be realistic but ambitious.

• Income diversification: Long and short-term goals are important.

• Have a specific spending plan.

• Use your community and your existing resources.

• Look at different ways to engage people.

Building a Strong Case for Support

Building a case for support answers key questions such as What is the need and why now? Why should I donate?  Why donate to this group? A well-crafted case for support:

• Creates consensus and buy-in
• Prevents mission drift
• Brings your vision to life
• Provides a blueprint for communications
• Brings your work to life with impact clarity and purpose.

Creative Fundraising Examples: Wakefield Theatre

An example of different ways to engage donors was given by Wakefield Theatre. The theatre ran Rhubarb Ruby’s Full House where a local supporter, dressed as the famous local character Rhubarb Ruby, (plus costume changes) was sponsored to see how many of the theatre’s 500 seats on 3 tiers he could sit on in an hour while dressed in drag.

The team live streamed on Facebook (filmed on their own phones) – people engaged at the time, and they got lots of great content for social media – raised £800, not a huge amount – but importantly it engaged new donors and raised the theatre’s profile. It also encouraged other supporters to offer to fundraise.

The theatre is now running a Facebook challenge involving people visiting well-known buildings in the area with theatrical links.

Taking the First Step

Taking the first step is often the most challenging but making and taking the time to think about and discuss what you want fundraising to look like within your organisation (big or small) is a great start.

It is important to look at your organisation’s priorities and then begin to look at implementing what works for you as an organisation and your stakeholders.

None of these are fixed points and all are in constant motion so it’s also important to accept change and flexibility as part of the process, which is perhaps the hardest challenge of them all.