Wednesday 29 October 2008

Credit crunch or something else? - What is really impacting your fundraising

How is the credit crunch impacting your charity's fundraising? - The response from the Christian charity sector, according to a recent survey conducted by FICO (Fundraisers in Christian Organisations), showed that:

12% of those surveyed have experienced increase in their giving
32% have experienced no change
12% of those surveyed have experienced a decrease of 5% in their giving
18% have experienced a decrease of 10%
26% have experienced a decrease of 15%

What do you make of this data? Where is your charity's giving in this spectrum?

The majority of those surveyed (56%) stated that their giving has decreased but the question is how much of the decline can be explained by the credit crunch and how much can be attributed to other factors?

For example, in direct mail fundraising how much of the decline can be explained by factors like the popularity of the cause/programme with your supporters, weakness of the cause concept or poorly presented ask, etc?

The credit crunch is real but we shouldn't use it as an excuse for ineffective fundraising.

So, next time you want to say that the credit crunch is impacting your charity's giving - take a look at other factors too, examine the data and take the right steps to strengthen your fundraising.

In the words of the Book of Proverbs - continue to prepare the horse for battle and leave the victory to God. He is bigger than the economic recession.

Sunday 19 October 2008

Get your donors to fundraise for your charity!

Today my lovely friend Mary invited me to lunch at her home and made me pay £10.00 for it!

Yes, you heard it right! I and six other guests were made to pay for our sunday lunch and the proceeds - a 'hefty' cheque for £75.00 is going to Age Concern UK. We enjoyed a fabulous roast and had a lovely time chatting to each other. And in -between the courses Mary told us about Age Concern UK and their Great Sunday Lunch initiative that encourages supporters to host a Sunday lunch for their friends and charge the guests a fee - be donated to Age Concern. Apparently, Auntie Betsy ( the yorkshire pudding food company) have joined in to promote this venture.

If successful Age Concern is hoping to give this event a regular spot in their fundraising calendar. So, we will have to wait and see...

But you have to admit that this is a good idea and an innovative way of encouraging donors to
make a generous contribution to the charity and even get new supporters to sign up for the cause.

Now, when was the last time your charity did something to involve donors in a particular way apart from asking them to give money and (or to pray)?

Maybe a sunday lunch might not be right thing for your charity but what kind of activities would you propose to your donors to encourage them to raise additional funds work and introduce your cause to their friends?

Think about it... wouldn't it be great to multiply the impact of your fundraising efforts by having hundreds of enthusiastic fundraisers out there making your job easier for a change.