We can help you to deliver successful fundraising programs and navigate these turbulent times.

As a starting point, why not take advantage of our free one-hour consultation to talk about your current plans and bounce some ideas around with us?

We recently wrote an article about fundraising strategies in a pandemic. See: here

Since then we have continued to refine our thinking. We believe the key to survival for many organisations will be how quickly and effectively they can solicit support from major donors and trusts and foundations. We can help you to reach out for philanthropic support in a sensitive manner - using proven strategies and a structured approach that is evidence-based. The steps are straightforward:

  1. Identify potential major donors. This may involve wealth-screening your donors and/or undertaking prospect research.

  2. Agree fundraising goals for urgent needs and write them up as compelling stories to appeal to donors.

  3. Contact potential major donors and trusts and foundations for immediate funding, and at the same time collect structured feedback from donors about the approach as it is rolled out (test, test, test!).

We can work with you to implement the above steps very quickly - so you are up and running in a matter of weeks. We have multiple major donor campaigns under our belts, have interviewed literally hundreds of high-net-worth-individuals over the years and helped to raise many millions of dollars. So we have precisely the real-world experience you need.

It has never been as important to understand your donors as it is now. Our evidence-based and donor-centric approach is exactly what is required. Some of the other relevant services we provide:

• Acid tests for your appeals/updates: We know how to ask the right questions and with a dozen phone calls to selected donors can collect structured feedback before you communicate more broadly. Don't fly blind!
• Donor surveys: We can help you to segment your donors and quickly undertake inexpensive surveys to test your messages and approach in more detail.
  
• Consolidation activities: Now really is the time to get your fundraising ship in order! We can help review current programs, fundraising materials, and get policies and procedures updated. Why not be prepared to hit the ground running when the time is right?
• Donor retention: We have evidence-based approaches based on world-best practice for you to adopt to retain your donors.
• Strategic Fundraising Planning: We can work with you to develop your Strategic Fundraising Plan taking into consideration the current environment.
• Peer research: We can reach out to organisations similar to your own and find out what fundraising strategies and programs are working for them right now, using a tested and structured approach.
• Program implementation: We can work with you to test and implement fundraising programs (major donors, bequests, trusts and foundations, etc).

Additional considerations

During the Covid-19 pandemic most NFP’s are rapidly devising new strategies to retain donors. Acquisition is less of a focus for most, unless their cause or projects are directly related to Coronavirus research or related health service delivery.

A key question is what do your donors expect and need from you? Just going out with appeals for them to support your organisation is not sufficient – not if you want to retain their loyalty and support. Their motivations will differ. Now is the time to understand your donors and tailor fundraising communication and engagement programs based on their individual preferences.

Let’s start by putting ourselves in the donor’s shoes.

Most donors will be isolated at home and their regular routines will have been turned upside down. Their ability to socialise and engage with family has been curtailed and they are moving to online methods to keep up social contact. Some will be working from home, others will be unemployed, and others will still be going to work in what is now essentially a dangerous and hostile environment to their health.

Almost all donors will be deeply worried and concerned about the health and welfare of their loved ones and themselves, especially if they are elderly. Some will remain financially comfortable and others will be in drastic financial strife.

And what about their changing attitudes and beliefs? Along with Covid-19 we have the impact of climate change being felt globally, if not bushfires then droughts, floods, and major storms. Suddenly a safe world to live in is a concept that is becoming an elusive one for your donors.

Many people will be reviewing their priorities in life – they have essentially been faced with the prospect of death because of Covid-19.

Many will be updating their Wills or organising one, and they will be reviewing their philanthropic priorities. Every individual’s circumstance will be different, some will reduce their philanthropy and direct their financial resources to family. Others will think more deeply about the causes they support, and we predict many will shift toward causes that are relevant to keeping our world a safer place to live in.

Some with the financial means will strengthen their resolve to offer more financial support to the causes that have always been important to them. Some will want to know the cause your organisation supports and the good work you are doing will be maintained during this difficult period. Others will want to feel part of your family and treated as such. Others will want to feel respected and will value you asking them for advice. Many will want to be left alone for a period until they have found their feet.

At this time understanding your donors is vital, as is constructing engagement and communication programs that will not just benefit your organisation but also your donors.

There is an incredible opportunity to deepen your relationship with your supporters if fundraising is done the right way.