How to plan a successful Ramadan fundraising campaign
Ramadan, the most sacred month in the Islamic calendar. Remembering the gift of the first Quran chapters to the Prophet Muhammad, fasting begins at first sunlight every day and ends as the sun sets (Iftar). It is a powerful symbol of unity, and a time of reflection, worship, personal and spiritual growth. As one of the Five Pillars of Islam, charity plays a huge part in everyday life for Muslims around the world. But never is the act more encouraged (or more welcome) than during the month of Ramadan – particularly in the final 10 days leading up to Eid ul Fitr. In fact, data shows UK Muslims donating an average of £38 every second of every day for 30 days. That’s £100 million raised in a single month. Not bad, huh?
With more than 3.4 million Muslims living across the UK, Ramadan is an important date on the charitable giving calendar and we want to help you make the most of it.
Get to know your audience
As with all things fundraising, a strong Ramadan campaign starts with your audience. This doesn’t just mean knowing how many of your individual givers practice Islam, it also means understanding their beliefs, the role of charity within this, and the significance of Ramadan celebrations.
Of course, there is no replacement for background reading, data and actual conversations with your donors. But if you are struggling to know where to start, Ian McLintock’s article on Charity Connect gives a good oversight of the different types of charitable giving common to Islam:
- Zakat: Eligible individuals typically donate 2.5% of their profitable wealth.
- Lillah: Charitable giving over and above the obligations of Zakat.
- Sadaqah: A simple charitable offering.
- Sadaqah Jariyah: Ongoing charity that covers all aspects of giving, from knowledge to time, energy, and of course, money.
- Waqfs: a charitable endowment, most likely in the form of a building, plot of land or other assets.
- Fidya or kaffarah: charitable giving for missing or breaking fast.
Looking at the above, you can see why it is important to understand the religious background before you make your ask. Charitable giving is a deeply personal choice, and as a general rule, the more you know about your donors - their profile, drive, reason for giving - the better. Indeed, this is true, no matter what someone’s faith. The key here is to use your data and charity CRM to create a campaign framework and ‘ask’ that works for the audience you know you have, rather than the one you think you have. And remember, it doesn’t have to be financial. Islam encourages all types of giving, so make sure your charity fundraising campaign allows people to donate in a way that works for them.
Looking for some inspiration? We love some of the Ramadan campaigns featured by Civil Society in 2019.
Time it right
Unlike Valentines and Christmas, Ramadan isn’t just a day (or 12 days). It’s a month. So you need to plan a campaign that is going to work for the duration. There is the launch, of course. If you haven’t already, mark April 12th in your diary and start planning your campaign communications yesterday. You need to be ready to go live on the very first day of Ramadan, or ideally, in the weeks before as preparations and community fundraisers get underway.
A month-long campaign needs momentum, so plan for follow-up communications now, and build a sense of urgency as you head towards Eid. Just because someone doesn’t give on Day 1, doesn’t mean they aren’t planning to give at all – and you’ve got 30 days to inspire action.
Push great content out, bring great content in
When it comes to sustaining your charity fundraising campaign, you need to have content going out and coming in. Stories, videos, features, photos, newsletters, and direct mail, are all relatively easy to prepare in advance and push out when the time comes.
But have you thought about asking your supporters to get involved? User-generated content is a great marketing tool. It creates conversation, sparks engagement and gives you the variety you need to keep it interesting over your month-long Ramadan campaign. It also gives you the chance to get to know your supporters, build trust, and inspire charitable donations.
Raise your voice
You don’t need a big budget for your Ramadan campaign to make an impact. Don’t believe us? Now is the perfect chance to put some of our favourite (free) PR tools to the test:
- Work your Google Ad Grants: With Google holding 88% of the global search engine market, Google ads boost charity advertising and direct quality traffic to your site*.
- Get great media coverage: Write guest blogs, opinion pieces and (newsworthy) press releases that showcase your expertise and share stories of success.
- Partner with a brand: Big or small, every company wants to impress its audience, so why not work together on some PR?
- Mobilise influence: A retweet here, a share there, if you’ve got any high-profile ambassadors or connections on your books, now is a great time to get those networks working.
- Tap into other opportunities: Ever wanted to run a Radio 4 charity appeal? Or match funding campaign? Ramadan could be the perfect time to get your message out there.
*Not sure how to make the most of this opportunity? Not only have we written a blog to demystify the process, we’ve also got a Google Ad grant tool to optimise your ad campaign.
Get ready to give back
Ramadan is a time for reflection and growth. Why not apply that philosophy to your charity, and make sure your fundraising campaign creates opportunities to give as well as receive?
Here are a few ideas to consider:
- ‘Ask free’ communications that celebrate Ramadan, thank your charity donors and supporters.
- Creating space for your Muslim supporters to connect and draw strength from each other.
- Spotlighting stories from across your community, including donors, service users, and volunteers.
- Sharing online resources and supportive communications for those that are fasting.
- Running events for your team and wider community to come together and learn about Ramadan.
Integrate your Ramadan campaign
Finally, you need to make sure your Ramadan campaign sits at the heart of your charity communications. More than just a tick-box, you will need:
- A strong campaign landing page.
- A clear call to action that is visible across your charity website.
- A user-journey that has been tested, and is easy to follow.
- A donate page that is ‘Simple, Savvy and Secure’ (maybe with a Zakat calculator?)
Just as you do for Valentine’s Day and Christmas, Ramadan is a great time to get creative. Why not give your online shop a themed makeover? You could even sell Ramadan cards, virtual and ethical gifts. Whichever approach you decide to take, just make sure your communications are consistent, and that every channel points to a central hub – leaving potential charity donors in no doubt as to what you want them to do next.
And finally… evaluate, learn, repeat
Ramadan is not a one-off event, and even if this April is your first charity fundraising campaign, it is unlikely to be your last. Track your data (*live* with Access Charity CRM) and take some time out to celebrate success and reflect on challenges. Use this year as your starting point, your foundation for 2022 and beyond. Every year you have the chance to adjust and refine your campaign, with each building on the success of the last. Because that’s what fundraising is. Never a quick fix, it is about learning and using your data to create new, better fundraising campaigns and opportunities every year.
