Category: Categories

A topp way to raise money

There is one simple way to dramatically increase income and improve your donor retention. You don't need to employ expensive consultants, install a new database or develop a brand new welcome strategy. Instead, you thank donors. That's it. You thank your donors. All of them….

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…

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…