Five things we can learn about fundraising from DJ David Rodigan
If you saw David Rodigan walking down the street, you might imagine he was a bank manager or an accountant. He's a bespectacled 59 year-old who hasn't got much hair left, but see him on stage with a couple of turntables and you'll start to…
Watch out for your job – here comes the fundraising robot
Ok, that's probably an overstatement, but the robot fundraiser has finally hit the streets. Called Don-8r, the robot relies on donations to keep it powered. During testing on the streets of Dundee, it collected £25.86 over nine hours (mainly from one and two pence pieces)….
Fake philanthropy
I've seen one or two fundraising campaigns recently that seem to have taken a strategic leap in a strange direction – they tell people that it gives you a nice feeling when you give to charity. I can understand the thinking behind the approach. When…
Who should influence fundraisers? Make your vote count
The poll for the most influential person in fundraising has just opened at the Civil Society website. It's a rather weird accolade as it's obvious that votes aren't always cast in recognition of influence. Some voters will support friends and colleagues and others may well…
Protect the donor
We all know the old adage, look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves, but it should probably be extended to supporters too. Because if we take care of our donors, we won't need to worry about income targets. That might sound…
The tragedy of the commons
I studied development studies at university (at UEA) where as fresh young undergraduates we were introduced to Garret Hardin‘s concept of The Tragedy of the Commons (first published in Science magazine in 1968). Hardin described a situation where a group of livestock owners share a…
Oxfam Vs Nothing But Nets
The Science of Giving is a fantastic publication that should be on the shelf of every fundraiser. It summarises some of the most important social experiments that have helped to highlight the reasons behind low response rates and high levels of attrition. The chapter by…
Mick Jagger ate my mail pack
The Resource Alliance has recently released a video of a presentation I was involved in at last years IFC in Amsterdam. Together with Damian O'Broin from Ask Direct in Ireland and Sandra Cnossen-Albers from WSPA in The Netherlands (who now runs her own fundraising consultancy,…
So what’s going on in the digital fundraising world?
The 2011 eNonprofit Benchmarks Study has been published by M+R Strategic Services and the Nonprofit Technology Network. It's based on analysing the online giving and advocacy activity of donors to 40 charities and nonprofits. It is obviously a US study, but the figures are useful…
Do you really want to be a cliché?
Jeff Brooks has recently written about the impact of re-branding on fundraising and included some hard facts based on his first-hand observations. He covered the four areas that are usually included in any new comms director's re-brand strategy and shared the following: Changing the logo…
The Essentials
Crack the Code to Regular Giving: Insights, Strategies, and a Special Giveaway!
‘Tis Halloween. Keep to the light and beware the Four Fundraisers of the Apocalypse!
Why do people give? The Donor Participation Project with Louis Diez.
A guide to fundraising on the back of a postcard
What does the latest research tell us about the state of fundraising?