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Giving Tuesday: charity fundraising ideas that aren’t all about the money

Giving Tuesday is a day of global giving. Last year, charities in the UK raised £10,000 a minute. That’s £14.4 million in 24 hours. Not bad, huh? But here’s the thing. Giving Tuesday is not just about giving money. No. The sector’s response to the infamous antics of Black Friday, Giving Tuesday is about giving back. In any way that you can. When end-of-year targets are looming, it can be easy to forget this simple truth. But as people up and down the UK grapple with the economic impact of COVID-19, charities need to get creative with their fundraising asks. To encourage giving in every shape and form.

Finding value in non-financial asks

Not every gift has to be financial, so we’ve pulled together examples of fundraising asks that go above and beyond money. This does not mean they don’t have value. Far from it. When you add up the contributions of non-financial gifts, you might be surprised. You might even find you have raised more than you would from a traditional capital request. Non-financial asks can also be a great way to help plug the gap in core funding. To bring in essential skills and resources that funders don’t like to fund.

Fundraising COVID-19

Posted 25/11/2020

Charity fundraising ideas that go above and beyond money

Donated goods: An oldie but goodie, the concept of giving goods instead of money is not new. There are two prongs to this style of giving. The first is trade. Brought to life through the invention of the much-loved charity shop, the sale of donated goods is a great way to raise more money for your cause. Last year, UK charity shops raised upwards of £275 million. That’s a big number, and for organisations like the British Heart Foundation, it’s a key part of their core fundraising income – with the team turning 74,000 tonnes of donated goods into £23 million NET profit.

Of course, donated goods also help charities deliver their core service. I’m sure we have all filled a Christmas Shoebox, like those delivered by Samaritan’s Purse, or taken a food contribution to the local Trussel Trust (did you know that 90% of the food they distribute is donated by the public?). Donated goods are also a great ask to put to corporates. For example, ProCaps Labs donate 200 million prenatal vitamin and mineral supplements to Vitamin Angels every year. That’s over $5 million since 2006! Do have a product that could be the basis of a new corporate partnership?

Donated time: If you read our recent blog on volunteering, you’ll know that last financial year, 19 million people gave their time to charity (11 million did so at least once a month). From Trusteeship, front-line, event, fundraising and office volunteers the value of human resource should not be underestimated. It is hard to pin down an exact figure, but volunteer engagement (virtual or otherwise) will always be a great ask for any charity.

Pro-bono projects: How much did you spend on your last fundraising campaign? When you are reaching out to thousands, if not tens of thousands of charity donors, it is going to cost money. But what if you could get the campaign planning, artwork and copy for free? We love that Saatchi & Saatchi developed the Marie Curie ‘On Hold’ campaign at no cost. They aren’t alone. In March this year, Popcorn PR announced a new pro-bono partnership with Access Sport, with London-based agency Full Fat also launching a new initiative worth £30,000 (sorry, applications closed on 25th September). That’s just the tip of the iceberg. And what better way to boost charity income without spending a penny?!

When it comes to pro-bono work, we also encourage you to think outside the fundraising box. Spread your wings, and you will be amazed at what you can find. Reuters Trust Law, A4ID and LawWorks all offer a brokering service linking charities to free legal aid. Impetus and Skylark connect charities to pro-bono business expertise… The list goes on (Good Finance have a really comprehensive one). Proof of the growing power and value of pro-bono gifts.

Other stuff: If the above hasn’t inspired you, here are a few more charity fundraising ideas to add to your toolkit.

  • Event space: Have you ever tried to get an event space in London? It can cost a small fortune. We love that Salesforce made their London Ohana Floor available to charities and non-profits for free. Have you booked your event yet?
  • Songs and royalties: In March 2019, GoldFish donated their track ‘Hold your kite’ (including royalties) to The Children’s Hospital Trust as part of their fundraising campaign, Leave Your Mark on Life. A great ask that helped make a powerful campaign very real.
  • Advertising space: We love Movember. Did you know that in 2012, ClearChannel provided free ad space on its Socialite network – spreading the message across digital screens in pubs and bars across the UK? It’s amazing what you can get when you ask.

NB: You may need to account for the value of donated goods as a standard part of your annual accounts. For more information on this, please refer to the guidance provided by the Charity Commission, and their dedicated SORP microsite.

How to follow-up with your donors

A gift, by any other name, is still a gift. And if someone has given one to you, that means they’re a charity donor. Be sure to treat them as such! Of course, the first thing you need to do is say thank you. Then you need to take them on a journey. There is an art to donor engagement. A good stewardship strategy will cater for communications outside the central ask. It will create touch-points and connections, include small acts of kindness, celebrate milestones, share stories of success and achievement. In short, it will inspire people to keep on giving.

That’s the hallmark of success. And with so much value in non-financial asks, this is one area of fundraising you can’t afford to miss out on.