Our favourite fundraising moments from 2020 and lessons we can learn
Congratulations! You made it to 2021. You might be glad to escape the coronacoaster that was last year, but whilst the going has been tough, we would be doing the sector a disservice if we didn’t take the time to reflect on the highs. It has not been easy, but it hasn’t all been doom and gloom. So read on, and check out our five favourite fundraising moments from 2020 and the lessons we can all learn.
Moment #1: Giving Tuesday ends the year on a high
A day to celebrate global giving, this year’s December event really is something to smile about. Up 42% on last year, Visa data shows platform payments totalling £20.2 million in just 24 hours. That’s £14,000 donated to UK charities every minute. Yes, even in a global pandemic!
Lesson learned: It’s okay to ask
It’s been a rough year. Overnight, charities up and down the country lost core sources of income - with community, event and individual giving hit particularly hard. With service demand up and disposable income down, donors had every reason not to give. But they didn’t take it. In fact, CAF research shows an increase of £800 million in public donations in the first six months of 2020 compared to 2019. For us, the success of this year’s Giving Tuesday epitomises this commitment. When the going gets tough, charities have supporters and donors they can count on.
Taking it forward into 2021: When the going gets tough, it is still okay to ask. Now more than ever, people understand the need and value of the charity sector. Make the right ask at the right time, and they’ll do their best to support you.
Moment #2: Captain Tom Moore walks his way into our hearts
It’s the fundraiser of the year and nobody saw it coming. Not even Captain Tom Moore. When he first decided to raise funds for the NHS – by walking up and down his garden – his target was a modest £1,000. A reasonable achievement in anyone’s books. But Captain Tom captured people’s hearts, and his JustGiving page closed with £32.7 million in donations. That’s right. Captain Tom raised £33 million by walking around his garden.
Lesson learned: Keep it real
We love Captain Tom Moore’s fundraising achievement so much, we wrote a blog about it. There is a lot we can learn from this event, but the lesson we really want to highlight here is authenticity. You don’t need a huge budget to smash targets. You need heart. Real people and real stories are the key to inspiring real success.
Taking it forward into 2021: Create compelling content. There are so many stories at your fingertips. Talk to people, find out their why and share stories that capture the heart and imagination of your donors.
Moment #3: Funders ‘stand with the sector’
With 350 signatures on the books, ‘We stand with a sector’ is a pledge that sees grant funders promise to work with charities in their response to COVID-19. The full statement, which can be read here, focuses on four main areas: activity adaptation, discussions around dates and deadlines, financial flexibility and a promise to listen. Music to the ears of trust fundraisers in every sector.
Lesson learned: It’s okay to talk about your challenges.
In its own bizarre way, COVID-19 has been something of a blessing for the sector’s trust fundraisers. No-one likes to talk about challenges and things that have gone wrong. But with COVID-19 there was simply no other option. Charities had to talk, and not only did donors have to listen, they had to respond. The normal rules of play didn’t apply here, and it has started an important conversation – fostering a new openness, flexibility and understanding between charities and their donors.
Taking it forward into 2021: Relationships are a two-way process. Give your donors the chance to know you, and take the time to get to know them. Shared understanding is the secret to success.
Moment #4: The 2.6 Challenge turns a virtual fundraising corner
On the 26th April this year, 40,000 runners were set to take to the streets of London in one of the UK’s biggest fundraising events. They didn’t. But this didn’t stop the sector from raising funds. Turning the idea of a 26 mile run into a 2.6 Challenge, it is an impressive transition. From Lego towers to stair climbs there was no shortage of creative ideas (check out UK Fundraising for some more). It might not have been the event charities planned for, but with £11.2 million raised, it is a shining example of virtual potential.
Lesson learned: Don’t cancel. Go digital!
2020 has been the year for virtual fundraising events. With so many ideas out there, it’s impossible to showcase them all. So we chose the 2.6 Challenge as a representation of the virtual corner charities have turned. Digital skills have always been something of a shortfall for the third sector. But as the year has gone by, more and more charities have embraced the world of digital events. And we think they have done a pretty great job.
Taking it forward into 2021: Digital events don’t end with the lockdown. Is there a way you can keep the virtual momentum moving and build it into your long-term fundraising strategy?
Moment #5: Taking the time to check in
This was a hard moment to pick. Over the year we have seen so many examples of charities going the extra mile for their donors and beneficiaries. But something about this one has stuck with us. In March this year, the RNLI launched a new supporter care video, sending a message of love, hope and support to their donors. There is no ask. No agenda. Just one person offering their support to another. It isn’t just a beautiful moment. It’s an important one. One that shows us that even in the midst of a crisis (and perhaps because we are in the midst of one) your donor relationships will help see you through.
Lesson learned: Prioritise donor experience
We all know fundraising is about relationships. But sometimes it is easier to say it, that to do it. For us, COVID-19 has highlighted the two-way process that underpins a successful relationship. Your donors are your family. Your network of support. Fundraising isn’t just about asking, it is about giving. You need your donors, and right now they need you. And COVID-19 has shone a light on the value of supporter experience that cannot be put out.
Taking it forward into 2021: Don’t be so focused on your target that you forget about the people who give to them. It isn’t always about the ask. Take the time to check-in and build relationships. It’s an investment that always pays off.
I don’t know about you, but we think these are great memories to take in to 2021.
Happy New Year, everyone!
