Giving Tuesday is a day of global giving. Last year, charities in the UK raised £14,000 a minute (up from £10,000 in 2019). That’s £20.2 million in 24 hours. Not bad going in a global pandemic. But here’s the thing. Giving Tuesday is not just about giving money. No. The sector’s response to the infamous antics of Black Friday, at its heart, Giving Tuesday is about giving back. In any way that you can. When end-of-year targets are looming, it can be easy to forget this simple truth. As people up and down the UK grapple with the impact of COVID-19, charities need to get creative with their fundraising asks and encourage giving in every shape and form.
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Black Friday. The biggest shopping event of the year, it’s a time to grab a bargain and get a head start on present buying. We love a good discount as much as the next person. But let’s face it, as an event it doesn’t always bring out the best in people. That’s why we’re dedicating this post to one of our favourite fundraisers, the charity shop. Read on for some tips and tricks to help boost Black Friday and other festive shopping sales by promoting charity retail as an ethical alternative for budding bargain hunters.
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If you’re a regular reader, you’ll know that here at Access we are big fans of ‘Relationship Fundraising’ and that we believe it’s the depth and strength of donor relationships that hold the key to long-term success. For many charities and non-profits, those relationships have been something of a lifeline these past two years. But despite everything people have been through, it seems that donors are remaining loyal, with:
- 36% of respondents gaining more supporters than they lost and
- 45% seeing their numbers stay fairly consistent.
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On 11th November, we celebrate the 102nd Remembrance Day. A time to remember and reflect, we can’t help but find ourselves thinking about the celebrated British Army Officer and fundraising legend Captain Sir Tom Moore. Passing away in February this year, there is a lot we can learn from his legacy, and we thought that this week’s post would be the perfect time to share some of the fundraising lessons this amazing man inspired.
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Strategy. It can be a scary concept. More art than science, setting out on a strategic planning process can be overwhelming at first – particularly when you’re working in a post-pandemic world. But having a clear strategy is key to successful fundraising. It gives your team focus, clarity and direction. It unifies thinking and mobilises action towards a series of attainable goals. Your strategy is your rudder. A tool to make sure everyone is pulling together in the same direction and that the compass is pointing to future growth.
As we come to the end of the year, we know that strategy planning time is nigh. So we’ve put together some handy tips to help the process run smoothly.
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Can you believe that our Autumn Access All Areas is over already? The event might have finished, but as we look back over the different presentations, we know the lessons learned are here to stay – particularly when it comes to corporate partnerships. We love that this month’s event gave us the chance to dive a little deeper into our own fundraising mechanisms. Raising over £650,000 in three years, it’s been a steep, but incredibly rewarding learning curve. Worried you missed out? Don’t panic. This week we’re sharing a handy summary of the lessons learned together with our charity partners at DEBRA, the National Deaf Children’s Society (NCDS) and Bipolar UK.
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Did you know that there are more than 1 million trustees across the UK? It’s true. A responsibility not to be taken lightly, your board is the rudder that steers organisational growth and expansion, with every trusteeship rooted in six main duties:
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Every year, 1 in 4 people experience a mental health problem of some kind, with 1 in 6 reporting ‘common’ conditions like depression or anxiety (thanks, Mind). That was before COVID. Stress. Anxiety, fears about the future, boredom, loneliness, grief… The mental health impact of the pandemic is very real, and it will be with us for a very long time.
For many charities, COVID-19 has also led to an increase in service demand and a decrease in available funding. The pressure is on, and the stakes are as high as they have ever been. Fundraisers are no strangers to burnout, and whether your team is back in the office, hybrid or remote working, now more than ever the sector needs to prioritise mental health and workplace wellbeing. That’s why we want to share some of the lessons we’ve learned from lockdown and help your team find and create a positive, post-COVID working rhythm.
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Did someone say Christmas? Sorry, it was us! We know it’s only September, but we also know that now is the time charities like yours start to plan their Christmas direct mail appeal. We thought we’d get in early and share some tips and tricks to help make sure your mailer goes the distance.
Here's how you can make an appealing direct email.
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We’ve all heard of Dorothy Donor - the traditional, archetypal charity supporter (just in case you haven’t, she’s female, aged 45 to 60 and loves to give, preferably with cash). But what if we told you she doesn’t exist? Would it make a difference to your charity comms? It shouldn’t. Because Dorothy Donor never existed. She is an average, a stereotype that has no place in your fundraising strategy. Every organisation is different. To fundraise well, you can’t rely on sectoral averages. You need to get to know your donors and create your own supporter profiles so that when you’re designing your next campaign you know exactly who you’re talking to.
Donor portraits do just that. They don’t have to be an actual image, but they do need to conjure one – to consolidate everything you know about your donors, give them personality and form. They are your audience, the people reading your direct mail, visiting your website, or following you on social media. If you don’t know who they are (yes, there can be more than one segment or portrait) you are fundraising in the dark. Talking blindly to an assumption that may or may not be correct.
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