Customer story: Stamford School
Building brighter futures with Donorfy
Stamford Endowed Schools has been shaping young minds since 1532, but they're anything but old-fashioned in their approach to fundraising. This group of independent schools in the East Midlands believes every student deserves a chance to thrive, and that educational opportunities should be accessible to all.
That's where their brilliant initiatives come in – their Stamford Card turns local shopping into life-changing bursaries, and their popular Lecture Series fosters free learning opportunities.
Here's how they've used Donorfy to transform simple ideas into award-winning campaigns that have raised over £100,000, and helped win them the 2025 Donorfy Award for Impact Beyond Fundraising.
Product
Donorfy
Charity type
Education
Package
Professional
Challenges
- Running a community card scheme manually was becoming unwieldy as it grew
- Tracking recurring payments, card renewals and business partnerships was eating up valuable staff time
- Missing opportunities to engage cardholders personally because data was scattered and hard to access
Solution
- Built the entire Stamford Card administration around Donorfy from sign-up forms to payment tracking
- Integrated key platforms, including GoCardless, to record payments and monitor recurring donations
- Created a comprehensive directory system for managing businesses, offers and cardholder relationships all in one place
Results
- Generated over £100,000 for transformational bursaries in just four years
- Increased social media following by 59% during their successful relaunch campaign
- Won the 2025 Donorfy Award for Impact Beyond Fundraising
Across various departments we use other systems, and none of them are as good as Donorfy. It’s just brilliant. The ease of use is something that’s very valued in our office.
From good idea to great system
The Stamford Card started almost 20 years ago with a simple premise: for just £10 a month, local residents could get exclusive discounts at local, independent businesses while funding bursaries for students. It was community spirit at its finest - supporting local shops while opening doors for young people.
But as the scheme grew to include over 140 businesses, the manual administration became a real headache. The team knew they needed a better solution to unlock long-term potential.
Making every penny count
That's where Donorfy stepped in. Rather than just using it as a basic database, the Stamford team got creative, building their entire card administration around the platform.
"It begins with a Donorfy sign-up form that we embed into our website, allowing us to capture the latest data. This is complemented by a similar 'Update your Details' form which ensures long-term accuracy of information."
The real magic then happens with Donorfy's integrations. Using GoCardless, every monthly payment is automatically tracked and recorded to donor timelines - no more chasing payments or wondering who's paid what. The team even uses activities in cardholders' timelines to track expiry dates, ensuring no one accidentally lapses their membership.
"Should this happen, we can contact the card holder to make enquiries, whilst also thanking them for their involvement to date," Dale notes. "This personalised approach is important in their stewardship journey, while being proactive to prevent disruptions in service."
But Stamford didn't stop at using Donorfy for income management. They turned it into a comprehensive directory for the 140+ businesses in their scheme, storing contacts, cataloguing offers and maintaining a complete picture of the entire operation. Combined with the Mailchimp integration for targeted communications, it’s a use of the system that’s amazingly inventive.
Hear from Dale:
Opening minds, opening doors
The genius of Stamford's approach becomes even clearer when you look at their award-winning Lecture Series. These aren't your typical school talks. We're talking art critic Will Gompertz, plasma physicist Dr Melanie Windridge and forensic psychologist Kerry Daynes.
"The lectures are open to everyone and offer free access to a diverse range of speakers who inspire critical thinking and dialogue among attendees," the team explains.
The beauty of the lecture series is its accessibility - completely free to attend, open to everyone, and perfectly positioned to inspire donations to support bursaries.
Using Donorfy, they can track attendees, manage communications and follow up with those inspired to support the cause. It's community engagement at its finest, bringing world-class speakers to Stamford while raising funds for students.
Results that speak for themselves
When the team relaunched the Stamford Card, the results were great. Their social media following jumped by 59%, and engagement soared across all channels. But the numbers that really matter tell an even better story - in the four years since implementing Donorfy, the card has generated over £100,000 for bursaries.
Those aren't just statistics - they're changed lives. As James Lavers, Digital Content Officer at the school, puts it: "As someone who was a recipient of a bursary at my time at Stamford School, without the Stamford Card, I would not have had the opportunities which the school had to offer me."
The impact hasn't gone unnoticed. In March 2025, the team won the Donorfy Award for Impact Beyond Fundraising, competing against other incredible charities. The award recognised their innovative use of Donorfy and the exceptional results they've achieved through both the Stamford Card and the Lecture Series.
"We are proud to be making significant strides in sustainability and societal impact through various initiatives that extend beyond fundraising efforts. This award is a testament to our team's dedication and innovative approach in engaging our community and driving positive change."
- Natalie Pretsell, Head of Fundraising & Engagement.
It's a perfect example of what we call "doing more with Donorfy.” Their success shows what's possible when you combine creative thinking with the right tools. By using Donorfy as the digital backbone of their entire operation, they've turned thoughtful initiatives into a sophisticated, award-winning fundraising machine that's transforming lives, one bursary at a time.
Discover Donorfy
From historic schools to local community charities, over 1000 organisations use Donorfy to build stronger communities. Ready to see how Donorfy could transform your fundraising approach? Start with a no-strings free trial, or download the brochure to dive into the details. Fancy a chat instead? Contact our charity tech experts.