This document outlines six truths of fundraising and provides examples of effective fundraising propositions. The six truths are that giving is emotional, people give to people or representations of people, no one cares what an organization does, using "you" is more effective than "we" or "I", people give to things close to them, and you need to engage donors before asking for money. Effective propositions clearly outline the need, the organization's solution, a call to action now, and are unique. Examples given include helping blind people rebuild shattered lives and stopping time from damaging unique treasures at the Brighton Pavilion. The goal is for marketing and fundraising to work together to engage donors emotionally.

1. Why should I give you my money?
1
Stephen Pidgeon
www.stephenpidgeon.co.uk

2. My text slides…
• Email: stephenpidgeon@gmail.com
• Website: www.stephenpidgeon.co.uk

3. Today…
• Please remember your basics, most charities
get it wrong
• A simple model for you to use to answer the
question
• And all that in just 60 minutes!!!

4. Six fundraising truths…
• Giving is emotional not rational

6. ‘The essential difference between emotion and reason
is that emotion leads to action and reason leads to
conclusions’
Donald Calne, Professor of Neurology, University
of British Columbia

7. ‘Please send
us a donation
and we will…’
NO!

8. Six fundraising truths…
• Giving is emotional not rational
• People give to people (or people alternatives!)

9. Six fundraising truths…
• Giving is emotional not rational
• People give to people (or people alternatives!)
• Nobody is interested in what you do

10. In commercial sales…
• …you’re told:
‘Sell the benefits, not the features’

11. In the non-profit world…
‘What you DO is of no interest to anyone…
…except you!
‘What you ACHIEVE (by doing it) can motivate
even the stoniest of hearts’

12. Six fundraising truths…
• Giving is emotional not rational
• People give to people (or people alternatives!)
• Nobody is interested in what you do
• YOU is so much better than WE or I

13. …from Tom Ahearn
‘Corporate’ communications and ‘member’
communications are 180° different.
Source: Tom Ahern with a little adaptation

14. Corporate communications are about how great
the organisation is.
Favourite pronoun: We
Source: Tom Ahern with a little adaptation

15. Donor communications are about how great
the donor is.
You
Favourite pronoun
Source: Tom Ahern with a little adaptation

16. Six fundraising truths…
• Giving is emotional not rational
• People give to people (or people substitutes!)
• Nobody is interested in what you do
• YOU is so much better than WE or I
• People give to things that are close to them

17. Six fundraising truths…
• Giving is emotional not rational
• People give to people (or people substitutes!)
• Nobody is interested in what you do
• YOU is so much better than WE or I
• People give to things that are close to them
• Catch them first then ask

18. Six fundraising truths…
• Giving is emotional not rational
• People give to people (or people substitutes!)
• Nobody is interested in what you do
• YOU is so much better than WE or I
• People give to things that are close to them
• Catch them first then ask

19. Today…
• Please remember your basics, most charities
get it wrong
• A simple model for you to use to answer the
question
• And all that in just 60 minutes!!!

20. The answer to the question…
• ‘Why should I give you £200?’
• …is your Fundraising Proposition
£25
£10pm
£1,000

21. Must-haves…
A good proposition must have:
Need
Solution
Now
And, it will be unique

22. A fundraising proposition is…
• … a FEELING!!
But how do you find it?

23. Royal National Lifeboat Institute
VISION ENEMY HERO RECIPIENT
No deaths at
sea
The cruel sea That tough,
bearded,
volunteer
crewman
Stupid, rich
day-sailor
who fell off his
boat

24. Example 2: Action for Blind People
VISION ENEMY HERO RECIPIENT
Every blind
and partially
sighted person
given support
when needed
Red tape and
lack of money
for simple,
practical
support
Passionate
people fighting
bureaucracy
and
indifference to
provide
Thousands of
people (every
15 minutes)
losing their
sight and
picking up
shattered lives

25. Fundraising proposition
Every 15 minutes someone in the UK begins to
lose their sight. Today, with your help, we can
give them the practical support needed to
rebuild their shattered lives.

26. Must-haves…
A good proposition must have:
• Need
• Solution
• Now
And, it should be unique
‘Every 15 minutes someone in the UK begins to
lose their sight. Today, with your help, we can
give the practical support needed to rebuild
their shattered lives’

27. Example 3: City Mission
VISION ENEMY HERO RECIPIENT
Everybody in
my city living
their life with
dignity
The hardship in
life that is
sometimes too
hard to carry
City Mission
people who
help them to
carry their load
The person
fighting, with
courage, to
turn their life
around

28. Fundraising proposition…
When someone’s life has gone past breaking
point, your NOK2,000 will ensure that someone
from City Mission, who can see a way out, will
help them start to live the life they would have
chosen

29. Example 6: Brighton Pavilion
VISION ENEMY HERO RECIPIENT
An opulent
celebration of
eccentric and
rich treasures are
cherished to
bring pleasure to
everyone…foreve
r
The deadly
hands of time,
familiarity and
indifference
The imaginations
of George IV and
others and
today’s
craftspeople
who cherish and
protect the
treasures
Our Nation

30. Fundraising proposition…
For the small sum of £200 you can stop the deadly
hands of time crumbling the unique celebration of
opulence, eccentricity and rich treasures - imagined by
George IV, artists, explorers, obsessives, and
connoisseurs - for the pleasure of everyone today and
in the future.

31. What the exercise has achieved…
• Fundraising and Marketing now working together, ‘hand in
glove’
• New tag line ‘Experience the extraordinary’
• Everybody now uses words like ‘cherished’, ‘eccentric’,
‘treasured’
• …instead of ‘conserved’ and ghastly descriptions like: ‘rich
collections and exciting exhibits are dynamically displayed
in stimulating surroundings’