Reinventing the rattling tin: How UK charities use Facebook in fundraising

Using a multicase study approach, this paper explores how the three biggest UK cancer charities by donations use Facebook in their fundraising campaigns, in order to facilitate understanding of the dynamics of philanthropic asking in a social networking site‐mediated environment. The analysis reveals that Facebook is primarily used to strengthen relationships with supporters, mainly via humanising the brand, fostering obligations, and encouraging social interaction. The mobilization of these relationships in fundraising is facilitated by persuasive strategies, including public recognition, authority, and the fostering of a sense of efficacy among fans, and the most common outcome of this mobilization is public endorsement of charities' fundraising campaigns via sharing. At a time when harsh public spending cuts have left gaps in charity funding that need to be filled by philanthropy, this study aims to make a practical contribution to knowledge by examining what works and how in Facebook fundraising.     

The future of Facebook fundraising

• Facebook is the world's largest social network, and charities are keen to create communities and engage with supporters there; yet few are using any of Facebook's tools to raise money effectively. On the basis of data from Facebook and JustGiving, we will learn how to prompt donors to share their donations, the pound value of a Facebook share, and how to generate the best value from shares. We will also reveal Facebook's best practices for community building, explore the trend for Timeline integration and underline the importance of mobile in the future for Facebook fundraising.

Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Legal update

This update covers developments in relation to UK charity law, particularly in relation to fundraising and other marketing strategies. Future issues will consider legal updates in the United States and Europe. If readers have any particular questions on charity law, please write to Philip Norton at the Publisher's offices, so that he can answer questions that are of general interest to readers.     

Changes in UK tax‐effective giving: implications for donor fundraising strategies

Strategies for fundraising from committed donors in the UK have long placed considerable emphasis on tax‐efficient giving, in particular the use of deeds of covenant and gift aid which enables charities to recover tax paid by the donor and thus increase the value of a donor's gift. However, recent developments and proposed developments in UK legislation and Inland Revenue procedures are about to make radical changes to this regime. Although in general the changes are beneficial to charities, the precise implications will, in many cases, require a significant change in fundraising strategies to make effective use of the new giving environment. This paper seeks to analyse the nature of those changes and the consequence for fundraising strategies. In relation to three main strategies some approaches to further research are proposed, which a charity may wish to apply in order to assess whether and to what extent new approaches to committed donor fundraising are required. A preliminary version of this paper was presented at the Institute of Charity Fundraising Managers Convention (Academic Stream) in July 1999, but it has been substantially changed to take account of further government announcements made in November, 1999. Copyright © 2000 Henry Stewart Publications     

Benchmarking the fundraising performance of UK charities

• The cost of fundraising and its effectiveness are issues of increasing importance in the UK nonprofit sector. Measuring fundraising effectiveness properly is critical to organisations on two fronts. From a financial stewardship perspective, charities need to ensure that their fundraising is as efficient as possible. From a public relations perspective they need to be able to demonstrate this to donors and our other stakeholders. There are many problems to be overcome in objectively judging a charity's performance relative to other nonprofit organisations. There are significant methodological barriers to be overcome to produce valid and meaningful comparisons. The well established Fundratios study shows that it is feasible to construct a methodology for robust benchmarking underpinned by good quality data which charities can use as a tool to inform the management of their fundraising activities.

Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

UK legal update

This update covers developments in relation to UK charity law, particularly in relation to fundraising and other marketing strategies. If readers have any particular questions on charity law, please write to Philip Norton at the publishers' offices, so that he can answer questions which are of general interest to readers.     

Donors: how much do they give in a lifetime?

In a relational approach to fundraising, nonprofit-making organisations have the task of developing profitable relationships with their supporters. This approach requires the definition of ‘lifetime value’ in order to assess its performance. Yet the paradox of calculating a lifetime value is that the only accurate definition of any particular individual's value can be made once they are no longer a donor – when they have died or have stopped giving. At this point they may appear of no use. However, it is by understanding past donors that present donors can be understood in terms of their existing and potential ongoing value. This paper, building on recent debate and research within the sector,[Sargeant, A. and McKenzie, J. (1998) ‘An Investigation of Donor Lifetime Value’, Paper presented to ICFM Conference, University of Warwick.] refers to the practicalities of creating and using not one, but a variety of measures from information sources that exist within such organisations. The paper specifically explores the way measures can be created and used. It raises a number of the practical issues involved in terms of accounting definitions and information availability. Understanding and using the value measures of supporters are key to ensuring that this relationship is dealt with in the most effective way for the organisation. Copyright © 1999 Henry Stewart Publications     

Electronic mail as a fundraising tool

The World Wide Web has attracted considerable attention and investment in the for-profit and nonprofit worlds, but electronic mail (e-mail) alone can be one of the most effective online fundraising and marketing tools. Its use in fundraising appeals is considered and its relationship to traditional direct mail fundraising discussed. Other more innovative methods of incorporating e-mail into a fundraising mix are explored, including the basic applications of an e-mail signature to the more advanced uses of automated e-mail response systems. This paper is based on research carried out by the author at City University during 1994 and 1995 as part of an MSc course in Information Science and published as ‘Electronic sources of fundraising information for UK nonprofit fundraisers’.     

The fundraiser's software dilemma: Packaged or do-it-yourself?

In May 1991 the IT Special Interest Croup of the ICFM met to debate the matter of packaged versus written-to-order software for fundraising. The speaker for packages advised: against reinventing the wheel when an 80 per cent degree of fit can be achieved from packages; taking advantage of the specialist supplies in the marketplace; the broad choice on offer and risk-reduction afforded by a substantial user base; known and containable costs. The speaker against packages advised: start by deJning simple and basic fundraising database structures; recognise the need to create simple and understandable systems without the unnecessary complexity and sophistication that often characterise packages; see the value in having flexibility to make amendments and changes to the database as circumstances change. Both speakers emphasised the need for carefid planning whatever system solution was chosen. In summing up, the chairman outlined how large, medium-sized and small charities took diyerent routes in acquiring their systems; highlighted the lack of low-cost shareware in the UK, the general unwillingness of supplies to release obsolete versions of software at low prices, and the difjiculty of adapting cheap ‘sales force-contact management’ systems efectively to firndraising. With software for fundraising and marketing there is a common dilemma that nonprofits have to confront — whether to write their own software or to buy a packaged system.     

Fundraising in civil society

The objects of this paper are to enrich understanding of fundraising and consequently to increase funds raised by looking at the roles of funders and fundraisers in civil society. The idea of civil society includes charities but has broader scope, including all forms of independent association and combinations of people within the state, working for a common good, outside the government and economic spheres. The existence of such thriving associations necessarily entails voluntary funding. This gives a special role to funders and gives value to fundraising. Funders should be enabled to share the ideals of the causes they support and even to contribute to their activity, as partners in voluntary enterprise. Civil society is part of an Anglo-Saxon US and UK tradition. A different tradition dominant in the European Union could threaten the governance, independence and fiscal treatment of NGO's in the UK.     

The final gift: targeting the potential charity legator

• Although legacy income is of enormous importance to many of the UK's fundraising charities, little reliable information exists to assist practitioners in targeting potential legators with appropriate messages. In particular, the motives for making a legacy gift and the differences between those doing so and the general supporter base are unknown. This makes segmentation and the subsequent development of strategy problematic.
• This exploratory study seeks to address these issues and compare the motives of individuals who support charities during their lifetime with the motives of individuals who, in addition, pledge a legacy. The authors conclude that fundraisers looking to increase legacy income should target their older supporters, particularly those in their mid to late 60s', as well as users of their services. The findings also suggest that communications to these groups should stress organizational performance and service quality commitments.

Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Lost in translation: A sociological study of the role of fundraisers in mediating gift giving in non-profit organisations

Recent years have seen a significant growth in the technical literature exploring charitable giving and fundraising. However, there is little empirical research on the actual workings of the fundraising process within non-profit organisations. In this paper, the day-to-day practice of fundraising is analysed from a sociological perspective that draws on the theories of the gift proposed by Mauss ( 1954 ), Titmuss ( 1970 ), and colleagues to propose an alternative, more complex giving model to strangers. Using qualitative data drawn from 44 interviews with fundraisers and their colleagues across 14 organisations, this study examines how fundraisers build and maintain long-term giving relationships with the individuals who provide financial support to non-profit organisations. Findings suggest that the primary gift giving relationship exists not between the giver and beneficiary but rather between the giver and fundraiser. The fundraiser, in this instance, actively employs tactics of reciprocity to both secure new gifts and ensure that givers continue to support their organisation. In doing so, fundraisers construct a narrative of the donor's imagined direct connection to the beneficiary and their “good gift”. Simultaneously, the fundraiser works with colleagues to construct the idea of the caring, connected, and sacrificial donor as a means to solicit their support in maintaining the continued gifting from these supporters. The paper concludes with a consideration of the ways in which these narrative constructions are incorporated into fundraising and organisational strategies; and two implications for perceptions of the role of philanthropy and fundraising.     

UK legal update

This update covers developments in relation to UK charity law, particularly in relation to fundraising and other marketing strategies. Future issues will consider legal updates in the United States and Europe. If readers have any particular questions on charity law, please write to Philip Norton at the publishers' offices, so that he can answer questions of general interest to readers.     

Charity Technology Trust: a case study

Charity Technology Trust (CTT) is one of a new breed of philanthropic initiatives aimed at helping UK charities become more efficient by better use of technology. Its founder believes that charities are ideally placed to benefit from the reduced costs and shared benefits of jointly developed strategies and fundraising, communications and data management tools. CTT was formed to catalyse a move in this direction from the major UK fundraising charities and is supported by the personal philanthropic contributions of its trustees—a group of successful businessmen. The challenge for such a new organisation with a new idea is considerable, but after 18 months CTT is working with 27 of the top 100 UK charities on projects from online raffles through e‐mail communications to IT strategy. Copyright © 2003 Henry Stewart Publications     

UK legal update

This update covers developments in relation to UK charity law, particularly in relation to fundraising and other marketing strategies. Future issues will consider legal updates in the United States and Europe. If readers have any particular questions on charity law, please write to Philip Norton at the publishers' offices, so that he can answer questions of general interest to readers.     

Fundraising as women's work? Examining the profession with a gender lens

Fundraising is a mission-critical area for nonprofit organizations and has emerged as a professional field in the past 50 years. This paper explores the gendered nature of fundraising work and its feminization as a profession over time, while simultaneously documenting the persistence of a gender pay gap and male overrepresentation in senior-level positions in both North America and in the UK. The application of gender theory reveals that fundraising roles and responsibilities rely on key relationship-building and organizational tasks, which are commonly associated with stereotypical women's work and are, thus, valued less in a patriarchal society. As a result, the devaluing of fundraising as mission-critical work, and a career suitable for both women and men, may limit the credibility and power of the nonprofit sector to represent diverse voices and enhance democratic values in society. The article concludes with recommendations for research and practice.     

Full Stop: an extraordinary appeal for an extraordinary aspiration – putting leadership theory into practice

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC)'s Full Stop campaign was launched in March 1999 with one single aim—to end cruelty to children. The Full Stop Appeal was designed to ensure that sufficient financial resources would be in place to support such an extraordinary aspiration. It is the biggest charitable appeal ever attempted in the UK and aims to raise £250m. This paper outlines how the charity applied the leadership model of fundraising to its strategy, the lessons it has learned over the past four years, and how successful it has been. Having already raised more than £100m, Full Stop has broken new ground in its sector, revolutionised the NSPCC's fundraising capacity and, more importantly, has had far‐reaching consequences for its mission to end cruelty to children. Copyright © 2003 Henry Stewart Publications     

Developing a children's rights approach to fundraising with children in primary schools and the ethics of cultivating philanthropic citizenship

Fundraising literature predominantly focuses on adult donors, with limited literature addressing younger donors, particularly children, and virtually no discussion on the normative ethics which inform fundraising with children. Addressing this gap, this article examines the ethical dilemmas posed by the mainstreaming of charity fundraising in primary schools. Regardless of high levels of participation, research with primary school pupils shows that children's engagement in fundraising activities is often passive, with little decision making afforded to children. First, we question the ethics of passively engaging children in the fundraising relationship. Second, we question the role of fundraising more broadly in helping to cultivate children's philanthropic citizenship, suggesting that current fundraising mechanisms in schools are counter-intuitive to fostering long-term philanthropic engagement. We argue that by critically engaging children in the process of giving, children develop a deeper understanding of the cause areas that matter to them, which cultivates a longer-term commitment to philanthropy. This is potentially a different goal than that of many organisations involving schools in fundraising, where the focus is on incentivising transactional fundraising efforts aiming to raise as much money as possible and thus raises particular ethical challenges which must be considered. In this paper we draw on previous research and established frameworks for understanding philanthropic behaviour to explore the ethical challenges of fundraising with children in schools and present a pathway towards a more child-led, children's rights approach to fundraising in primary schools.     

ePhilanthropy: using the Internet to build support

For nonprofit organisations the Internet represents an unprecedented and highly cost‐effective opportunity to build and enhance relationships with supporters, volunteers, clients and the community they serve. As ePhilanthropy has emerged, organisations have discovered that consistent and deliberate e‐mail communication that drives traffic to the organisation's well‐organised and informative website has become the key to success. Charities should approach the Internet as a communication and stewardship tool first and a fundraising tool second. Success will come not from an emphasis on the technology, but on cultivating and enhancing relationships. Copyright © 2002 Henry Stewart Publications     

Using the phone to reduce donor attrition and drive loyalty

• Donor attrition is a major issue for fundraisers. With 40% of new monthly givers lapsing within a year of sign up, new techniques are urgently needed to slow the rate at which donors stop giving. Drawing on the commercial world's long‐established loyalty programmes, telephone fundraising agency, Pell & Bales, designed a programme of pure loyalty calls that reduced donor attrition by more than 10% over a year. These calls contain no ‘ask’; instead, they harness the power of the telephone by talking with and listening to supporters, building real and lasting relationships.

Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.