The link between digital media and fundraising

When you think of fundraising, what do you think of it? Do you think of methods to raise money or do you think of the platforms needed to raise money? Well i think of both. From my experience in the voluntary sector, one thing has been key to my learning, and that is being creative and innovative in your ideas. It is no use being the same as every other charity. It is a competitive industry that requires imaginative ideas. People get bored of hearing the same things, but may find interest in hearing new event ideas such as speed dating where every person competes to swim the fastest or something off the wall like that; or they might be fascinated by interesting apps where it costs them nothing to raise money for their favourite charity.

Here are some articles which prove that charity requires innovative digital thinking to fundraise:

1. Why charities need to improve their online engagement
It shows all the statistics behind increasing online engagement in the third sector.

2. Innovative tech charities need more support and better funding: report
This article just proves everything I mean. Digital make for successful fundraising, and this is stated in the report that states: "Its new report on charities and technology, ‘Going Digital’, found that while some charities are leading the way in designing new technologies to address key social issues, many are being held back by a range of organisational issues, including a lack of suitable funding."

3. The 7 truths driving real strategic thinking
Ok, this article is about marketing and isn't tailored to the third sector, but this article is still relevant. It indicates 7 crucial points:

•  Strategy is a "creative discipline" where you need to link choices and how people think to create it.
• The rich usually win due to their great strategies, but when they don't - someone else had a better strategy. Simples!
• You should base your strategy on your start point, not your ending point. You should know what to do even when it gets bad!
• Don't get a strategy confused with a plan. Strategy unfolds in a way where time creates new outcomes, thus meaning new objectives to be adjusted.
• Make your strategy "more like a system than a map"
• People want quality and good value for money, hence the popularity of Aldi and Lidl.
• Usability is key, and therefore you need to be constantly looking to improve your strategy for people to use your services easier to access. You don't need to be innovative, you just need to make things easier for people to do the things they want.

4. 5 social media tips to help your fundraising event sparkle
 It is all about digital to make it a success. You need to remember the 2Bs, 2Is and 1E - branding, balance, interact, inspire and enjoy what you are doing!

5. How to develop an efficient and effective fundraising strategy
This tells you how to be successful in fundraising. It mostly refreshes what you should know already with some added common sense! You can raise money through following ways:

• New Media - email and SMS messages virally, direct response and welcome/thank yous
• Gaming - lottery, raffles, scratch cards etc
• Trading - christmas, mid-year catalogues and gifting
• Individual Giving - direct mail, arrange regular giving, legacies and child/animal sponsorship
• Institutions - EU funding, national lottery and grant-making trusts, foundations and statutory grants
• Corporate - corporate giving, give as you earn, sponsorship (publications, events, projects and equipment) and corporate events such as auctions, dinner card pledges and awareness raisingg events
• Events - high value donor events, sponsored days and/or events, individuals (e.g. treks, marathons or parachute jumps)

That is my favourite articles for today! Hope to write another article in the coming week. Jodie :)