What charities really think of
online giving and how to
make the most of it
Jonathan Waddingham
18th June 2009

Independent research - 656 charities, summer 08
Which of these statements is closest to how you see your
charity’s use of online fundraising?
5% I feel we’re having a good
go, but could do better.
17%
I feel we’re trailing other
charities, but we're not sure
what to do next.
I feel we’re way behind.
56%
22% I feel we’re making the most of
online fundraising.
http://icanhaz.com/pf

Independent research - 656 charities, summer 08
Which of these statements is closest to how you see your
charity’s use of online fundraising?
5%
17%
I feel we’re making the most of
online fundraising.
56%
22%
http://icanhaz.com/pf

Online donors are all young, aren’t they?
% of first-time donations in each age
group
48%
41%
37% 37%
34%
25%
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 >64
JustGiving May-June exit
questionnaire – 1,238 respondents

Some insight from our credit crunch research
In the next three months, do you think you may have to reconsider how much
you give to charity?
70%
63%
61% 61% 61%
60%
50%
40%
Jan - Feb
32% 31% March
30% 29%
30%
April
May
20%
10% 7% 6%
6% 6%
3% 2% 2% 3%
0%
No, I don't think I will Yes, I may consider Yes, I may consider Yes, I may consider
giving a little less cutting back a lot stopping giving
http://icanhaz.com/crunchmonitor

London Marathon analysis
12
10
Donations inc. GA (£m)
8
6 FLM08
FLM09
4
2
0
Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
http://icanhaz.com/flm09

5% making
the most
40%
giving less
http://www.flickr.com/photos/villes/696080093

Chance to
innovate
Take risks;
be bold?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sutto007/271815988

More insight from our credit crunch research
Has thinking harder resulted in you changing your charity
giving? I've largely
stopped giving
I give more than
3%
I've cut back a lot before
6% 13%
I still give, but a
little less
35% I give about the
same
43% JustGiving May exit
questionnaire – 1,156
respondents
http://icanhaz.com/crunchmonitor

More insight from our credit crunch research
Has thinking harder resulted in you changing your charity
giving? I've largely
stopped giving
3% I give more than
I've cut back a lot before
6% 13%
I still give, but a
little less
35% I give about the
same
43% JustGiving May exit
questionnaire – 1,156
respondents
http://icanhaz.com/crunchmonitor

Growth in user created events
12,000
10,000
8,000
2007
6,000
2008
4,000
2,000
0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Growth in user created events
51%

Is this the return of community fundraising?
“Mass participation events will survive the downturn and be an area of
massive potential because the amount raised per head is manageable”
John Neate, Chief Executive, Prostate Cancer Charity
http://icanhaz.com/commFR

What’s the key to weathering the storm?
“Devolved fundraising involves surrendering a certain amount of
overall control”
Kevin Blowe, Buwan Kothi International Trust
http://icanhaz.com/ipledge

Give people
the tools
they need
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dougbelshaw/218829408

Community fundraising
An article…
A Facebook group
www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=32985131033
www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jun/20/transport.religion

The atheist bus phenomenon
http://justgiving.wordpress.com/2008/10/24/atheist-bus-rides-again

Lessons from the Atheist Bus Campaign
Let people have conversations about your appeal and your cause
Make it easy to share and find content online
Reach out to bloggers as well as traditional PR & print media
Be prepared to be imaginative and take risks
Prepare to lose a certain amount of control
http://icanhaz.com/abus

Facebook – biggest referrer to Justgiving
http://icanhaz.com/jgfb

Facebook – biggest referrer to Justgiving
30%
400,000
referrals
installs
http://apps.new.facebook.com/justgiving

How people use Facebook to fundraise
friends
3% Wall posted
event 1%
3% 0%
inbox
11%
profile
35%
Group
23%
home
24%
http://icanhaz.com/jgfb

Community fundraising through Twitter
http://twitter.com/serafinowicz/status/132109384

Community fundraising through Twitter
14% of referrals on 13th
March to Justgiving
were from Twitter
www.justgiving.com/peterserafinowicz

Community fundraising on Twitter – micro donations
1,106 donations
£4.86 average
3%
6%
£2.00
£10.00
8%
£5.00
£4.00
£6.00
9%
66%
www.justgiving.com/peterserafinowicz

Use the web; invest in it
Look at how you thank, as well as how you ask
Show how donations are used
Use videos/photos/stories – and allow feedback
Look after people who donate online
Look after people who raise money for you online

RNID Impact Report (digital annual report)
www.rnidimpact.org.uk

Canadian blood services thank-you site
http://thankyourdonor.ca
http://www.andrewjrobinson.net/?p=75

Promote creativity
Weddings?
http://www.wateraid.org/uk/donate/858.asp?lnkid=uk,wed

Promote creativity
Other ways…?
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/get_involved/fundraise/fundraising_guide

In Memory fundraising
http://icanhaz.com/ChelseaP

Social media is a toolset – use it wisely
http://flickr.com/photos/dbarefoot/181487346

St Ann’s social media success
238%
http://icanhaz.com/stanns

St Ann’s social media success
“If I could give one tip it would be: do one thing now – you don’t need a
strategy in place, just try it out!
For example, set up a Facebook group/event or a Twitter site and actively
promote it on your emails – see what happens as a result!”
Catherine Williams, Director of Fundraising and Communications, St
Ann’s Hospice
http://icanhaz.com/stanns

What are you
telling your
supporters?
http://flickr.com/photos/mpdanielcouk/3425205250

How do you
treat your
supporters
online?
http://flickr.com/photos/kaptainkobold/195999767

Are they part
of your story?
http://flickr.com/photos/umjanedoan/49670757

Are they part of
your dreams?
http://flickr.com/photos/gi/2953550

Jonathan Waddingham
jonathan@justgiving.com
twitter.com/jon_bedford
justgiving.com/blog
slideshare.net/jwaddingham