In the early hours of June 28th 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn of Greenwich Village, Manhattan. An event that soon turned violent, the ‘Stonewall riots’ (or ‘Stonewall uprising’, if you will) refer to the demonstrations sparked in response not just to the use of police force, but to generations of discrimination, criminalisation, and oppression. A defining point in the LGBTQ+ movement, Stonewall was a ‘galvanising’ force. A year later, thousands of people took to the streets of Manhattan chanting ‘gay is loud, say it proud'. It caught on, with June now recognised as ‘Pride month’ in countries all over the world. That’s why we want to take this chance to reflect on the events of 1969 and shine a spotlight on some of the fundraisers that have helped make the sector proud.
First up? Where would we be if we didn’t mention…
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It’s Volunteer Week, a time to recognise and celebrate the commitment of the UK’s 19 million volunteers. A union well known for its volunteer culture, not even a global pandemic can stop us. When the government called for NHS volunteers in March last year, 500,000 people signed up in a single day. When fundraisers and charity staff went on furlough, they didn’t sit on their laurels. No. They started Furlonteering. With charities pressured from every angle, volunteers are an incredible resource to have - and it works both ways. Research shows that volunteering has a positive impact on an individual’s professional development, mental health and well-being. That’s why we want to use this post to help make sure you and your volunteers make the most of your time together.
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This weekend is Scotland’s biggest (virtual) running event, the Edinburgh Marathon Festival. Raising over £30 million since 2003, every year thousands of runners take to the streets and raise sponsorship funds for more than 200 worthy causes. An important part of the charity event season, the Edinburgh Marathon is one of many running events open to charities (and supporters) across the United Kingdom. But with COVID-19 hitting sponsorship income hard, the pressure is on - not just to get event income up, but to use this opportunity to engage new, long-term charity donors.
For those of you familiar with the world of event sponsorship, you’ll know that converting one-off event participants into regular donors isn’t easy. But it does happen. Like all good things in life, it takes time. And if you want to cultivate a long-term donor relationship then you need to take a step back and think through the event management process as a whole. Starting with…
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Back in my teenage years, the height of gaming sophistication was four handsets plugged into our Sega Megadrive, with a room full of friends ready to take on their next ‘Micro Machines’ challenge. How times have changed! It’s always been a huge industry, but did you know that last year, the global gaming market was valued at $167.9 billion? That’s a lot of zeros.
To give this number some form of context, in 2017/18 the ‘official’ contribution of the voluntary sector to the UK economy came in at around £18 billion (~$25 billion). To say gaming is a sector with potential is something of an understatement. No longer a solitary pastime, gaming gives people the chance to connect, have fun and relax, with lockdown times seeing more and more people find connections in the virtual world. Not just a hobby, gaming is also a profession. According to CareerGamers.com the average ‘gamer’ can now earn around $60,000 every year – and that’s before we get into celebrity gamers and influencers!
What does this mean for charities, and how can your organisation tap into the world of gaming?
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It’s Mental Health Awareness Week. We know you’ve been working hard, so we wanted to use this post to help you take some time out and reflect on your ‘why’. Fundraising isn’t just a job, it’s a vocation. Every fundraiser has a story, a reason for doing what they do. It can be easy to lose sight of this when the pressure is on and targets are high. So here are three fundraising legacies that make us smile – and we hope that you do too! From the magic of Neverland to the bustle of UK high streets, we love these tales of fundraising inspiration because each became a catalyst for something more – a legacy that left a lasting mark. So grab a cup of tea and take five minutes to remember the weird and wonderful world of fundraising, past and present.
First up, it’s our favourite fundraising legacy ever…
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Can you believe it’s over a year since we first went into lockdown? So much has changed since then. Especially in the world of charity fundraising. With in-person events cancelled, fundraisers up and down the country went virtual – with great results! As our very own Shaf Mansour would say:
“It’s not about convincing people to go digital anymore. It’s about showing people how much they can do with digital. There is so much innovation at the moment. It’s an exciting space to be in.”
But what happens now lockdown restrictions are easing, and in-person events are back on the table? Is it the end of virtual fundraising events?
We don’t think so.
It hasn’t been without its challenges, but now we’ve experienced the wonders of digital fundraising, it’s going to be hard to turn back. The answer lies in hybrid events. It sounds good in theory, but what exactly does this mean in practice?
What is a hybrid charity fundraising event, and how do you deliver one?
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In April last year, Captain Tom decided he was going to raise money for our beloved NHS. How? By walking laps of his garden. Capturing the hearts and imaginations of people up and down the country, his JustGiving page closed with a monumental £32.7M raised from 1.5 million donors. Take a moment to let that sink in. Captain Tom raised almost £33 million by walking around his garden.
Fly-bys, an honorary promotion and knighthood followed. Though these gestures are welcomed warmly, I wonder if we will ever be able to fully show our gratitude to Captain Tom, and all that he has given us. Not just a national hero, he has become a national treasure – inspiring millions of people with a simple message of hope, ‘tomorrow will be a good day’.
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Thank you. Two words that make a world of difference. Did you know that an individual thanked within 48 hours of their donation is four times more likely to give again? As the team at Guide Star put it, ‘that’s a 400% improvement in renewal rates’ - just by getting those two words out on time, and in the right way. It sounds pretty obvious. But you would be surprised just how many charities don’t say thank you often enough. Or worse, don’t say it at all. More than just good manners, it’s an important part of the relationship-building process. No donor should only ever hear from you when you want money. A well-timed and appropriate thank you then, is the perfect way to touch base with your donors without the pressure of an ask. It shows you value them as people, that you recognise their support and the generosity behind it.
Struggling to find the right way to say it? Don’t worry. Here are eight tried-and-tested ways to help make sure your thank you message goes the distance.
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As a fundraiser, your job is to inspire people to give. That inspiration comes in many forms, with charities regularly employing tools such as direct mail, digital campaigns, advertisements and events to get their message out there and encourage people to give. Last week, we looked at the role virtual reality plays in this, and the way charities like Water Aid, the National Autistic Society and The National Trust have used it to help connect people to their cause.
Connection, in charity fundraising, is key. It is the link, the point of commonality that inspires people to donate. So we wanted to take this chance to remove the VR headset and explore some of the more unusual ways charities and organisations have used to expand their reach, create new connections and make a difference.
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Can you believe it's been over a year since lockdown restrictions first came into play? It has not been easy, but through the furloughs and funding gaps, the sector should be proud. An exercise in resilience, we love how charities have embraced the world of digital fundraising, and how organisations have made the shift from ‘disrupted’ to ‘disruptor’ - taking a risk and trying something new.
Because if not now, then when?
Over the course of this last year, we've explored the ins and outs of these digital turns. From emergency campaigns to virtual events, digital conferences and contactless donations, there has been a lot of ground to cover, and in this post we want to look at one more.
Virtual reality.
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