Customer story: Kids for Kids

For 25 years, Kids for Kids has been transforming the lives of some of the most disadvantaged children in the world. From providing clean water, goats and donkeys, to training midwives and first aid workers, the charity has always focused on one simple principle: listen to communities and give them the tools they need to help themselves.

In recent years, conflict in Darfur has forced Kids for Kids to adapt quickly, shifting significant focus towards emergency aid for families with children under five, the most vulnerable during the crisis. With growing demand, a small team, and increasing pressure to fundraise effectively, having the right systems in place became critical.

That’s where Donorfy came in.

The challenge: rebuilding trust in data and donor insight

Like many charities, Kids for Kids had built up decades of donor relationships. But their legacy system was outdated and difficult to use. Then, the unthinkable happened:

“We had been thinking about CRMs for a while and then suddenly our old system was inaccessible.”

– Sage Lancaster, Fundraising and Outreach Manager

Although a backup was recovered, the experience exposed a bigger issue. The team needed:

• A reliable, secure CRM they could trust
• Clear visibility of donor history and behaviour
• The ability to segment supporters and tailor outreach
• A system that worked for a small charity team, not against it

Most importantly, they needed to protect the donor relationships that underpin everything they do.

The solution: choosing a charity-first CRM

After extensive research, Kids for Kids chose Donorfy.

Deputy CEO Davina Patel played a key role in the decision-making process, reviewing leading CRM systems for charities and mapping them against the charity’s practical requirements.

The decision was driven by Donorfy’s clear focus on the charity sector and its flexibility to support Kids for Kids’ unique fundraising model, including giving supporters the option to donate towards specific items like goats, donkeys, or emergency food kits.

Key requirements included:

1. Support for multi-currency donations, reflecting an international supporter base
2. Automation of core processes to reduce pressure on a small team
3. The ability to clearly see connections and relationships between supporters
4. A system that could grow with the charity’s reporting and compliance needs

“We wanted something that specialised in charities, where the tools were designed for exactly what we need to do.”

– Sage Lancaster

Day-to-day impact: clarity, confidence and control

With Donorfy embedded into daily fundraising activity, Kids for Kids has started to transform how they work.

What changed?

• Automatic donation logging: Donations now flow directly into Donorfy, dramatically reducing manual admin.
• Clear campaign tracking: Every donation is attributed to specific campaigns, giving instant visibility of what’s working.
• Powerful segmentation: The team can quickly identify long-term supporters, high-value donors, lapsed givers or event invitees.
• Smarter outreach: Communications are more targeted, relevant and personal.

“It’s huge for us as a small charity to have a CRM that works for us. We can see when someone started giving, what they gave last year, and how we should be engaging with them now.”

– Sage Lancaster

Even at an early stage, the team can clearly see each donor’s full giving history, allowing them to tailor campaigns and communications far more effectively.

“It’s like having an extra player on the pitch. If we commit to using it properly, the potential is enormous.”

– Andy Caudell, CEO

Campaign success: recognised for impact

In 2025, Kids for Kids ran a powerful emergency appeal focused on Kids’ Kitchen Kits – high-protein food packages complete with lentils, pulses, groundnuts and cooking oil for families with young children facing starvation. While Kids for Kids is not an emergency-response organisation by design, the scale and severity of the humanitarian crisis in Darfur meant the charity had to act quickly to provide life-saving aid where few other organisations could.

The campaign focused on clear, tangible asks that supporters could easily understand and respond to, showing how a £25 donation could directly help prevent child starvation. As a result, their appeal:

• Provided Kids Kitchen Kits full of food to 100,848 children aged 5 and under
• Continued to provide soap, seeds and mosquito nets to 60 of the 110 existing Kids for Kids villages for families affected by conflict.
• Implemented a new tree nursery at Um Ga'al village.  
• Engaged both existing and new donors around a clear, compelling message.
• Was recognised as Highly Commended in the Awareness Campaign of the Year category at the Access Impact Awards 2026, which will be celebrated at this year’s Access Donorfest.

“Donorfy provides a clear platform for us to understand how successful our campaigns are. We are excited to continue setting up our new CRM and learning how to use all the tools to plan for the next 25 years.”

– Sage Lancaster, Fundraising and Outreach Manager

With clear insight into donor behaviour and campaign effectiveness, Kids for Kids is now well placed to build on what worked, refine its messaging, and grow future appeals with confidence — even in the most challenging circumstances.

The results so far

While still early in their Donorfy journey, Kids for Kids is already seeing meaningful outcomes, with even greater benefits ahead as more functionality is embedded:

• One of their strongest Christmas fundraising periods ever, including a successful matched-giving campaign
• Significant time savings through reduced manual data entry
• Improved ability to retain and steward donors, not just acquire them
• A growing focus on financial reporting and insight, enabled by having accurate, structured data
• A clear foundation for data-led fundraising growth
• Plans to automate Gift Aid submissions to HMRC in order to save time

“We’ve worked so hard to bring supporters through the door. Now we have the tools to truly value them, thank them properly, and keep those relationships strong.”

– Sage Lancaster

Looking ahead: fundraising with confidence

With a new CEO and a milestone 25th anniversary year underway, Kids for Kids is focused on building long-term resilience.

Donorfy is central to that plan.

“If we can get smarter, more efficient and more engaging, it can only be good for us, and for the children and families we support.”

– Andy Caudell, CEO

The team sees Donorfy not just as a system, but as a strategic partner in delivering impact.

Why Kids for Kids recommends Donorfy

“I’ve never come across a CRM with as many learning tools available to the user. Everything is there – the videos, the guidance, the support – so you can solve problems yourself and keep improving.”

– Sage Lancaster

For charities looking to:

• Protect and grow donor relationships
• Reduce admin and increase fundraising efficiency
• Make better decisions using real data
• Build sustainable income, even with small teams

Donorfy is an investment worth making.