A new report by JBWere attempts to estimate the outlook for philanthropy and volunteering in Australia during the unprecedented combination of a major economic downturn and a significant global health crisis.
Read the full report here in PDF or watch the webinar here
The Fish Chick presented at the Collins and Co 2020 Not-for-Profit Conference in Melbourne last month about the importance of donor engagement for fundraising success.
The team at Collins and Co have kindly shared the session online. You can watch the whole presentation below.
It’s been a sombre start to the year.
The end of January is here and for many Australians it’s been a difficult start to the year. With bushfires still present in many parts of the country, we continue to see images of despair and sadness. However, among the tragedy is hope – with so many stories of huge fundraising success, generous donations globally, personal sacrifice from volunteer firefighters and much more.
Amongst all the tragedy and loss, we can see true humanity in action which is quite humbling. After all, that’s why we’re all in this non-profit world, isn’t it? To see and create change? Here’s to a 2020 full of more generosity and positive change.
Also this month, as we do each January, we celebrate the 9th birthday of Fish Community Solutions. In lieu of a celebration this year, we will be marking this anniversary by making a donation to the bushfire relief.
Last month The Fish Chick presented a keynote at the Central Coast NFP Forum, hosted by Fortunity.
The team at Fortunity have very generously shared the full presentation on donor relationships and fundraising.
From this presentation you will learn:
For many organisations, this is the time of year to start preparing a direct mail Christmas Appeal.
Direct mail is a fantastic tool used to connect with new donors, engage loyal donors and generate income for your cause. So it’s important that you do all you can to get it right.
Fish has put together a little checklist of the nine most important questions you should ask of your appeal.
The Nine Most Important Questions to Ask of Your Appeal
Be sure to speak to the donor needs, not those of your organisation.
Be sure you know your audience. Visualise them and your desired response from them. With DM you want audience to open, read and donate.
Organise your material. Tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, and tell them again. First and last times are most critical. Transitions are the readers’ road map.
You need to draw the reader in. Create a picture in their mind about what is happening. Be specific. And be relatable.
The signatory should be the most influential person in the organisation who is willing to put their name to the letter. This needs to be the same person every time so they can build a relationship with your donor base. (If you want a different view point, have a story within their letter)
Balance emotions with facts, but be sure to make facts relevant so people understand. Balance ‘benefits’ and ‘features’. Personalise as much as possible even if with ‘you’.
Use correct basic grammar, but remember it must be conversational as more will be read and remembered. Use everyday language not jargon. It’s a conversation on a piece of paper.
You want bite sized chunks – short words, sentences and paragraphs. Repetition. Alliteration. These need to be deliberate aspects to your material.
Ideally you will have three direct asks. One in the first 50% of the letter, one just before signature and one in the P.S.
