The UK is launching "The Big Ask" to improve how often & how well charities ask

The Funding Commission in the UK (set up by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations) has reviewed the state of individual giving in the UK - from 2007/2008 to 2008/2009 giving declined by 12% in real terms. Our own benchmarking report of the tax campaigns of 28 Australian charities showed that between the 2009 and 2010 campaigns the money raised per donor mailed decreased by 8% (but charities contacted 11% more people so the gross still grew 2%).


The Funding Commission's response is to propose a campaign - the Big Ask - which aims to:

• Improve the quality and effectiveness of all forms of fundraising
• Help develop, support and promote innovative approaches to asking
• Promote the importance of the work of civil society organisations (CSOs)

It will do this by working to "increase the confidence and the competence of all those involved in asking for funds for charities, including trustees, chief executives, paid fundraisers, volunteer fundraisers and communications staff."

A great idea, and I just hope it works! Regardless, I'm sure we will be able to pick up many good ideas by following the process. The paper form the Commission is here:
www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/sites/default/files/Paper_7_Individual_Giving_0.pdf

 

Could regret be used to motivate donations?

I was reading the following article about the strong motivating power of feeling regretful:

http://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/index.php/Kellogg/article/learning_to_use_regret/

It made me wonder - older donors are already the cornerstone of individual giving. If we asked them "do you wish you had made more of a difference to the world with your life?" (in effect) - and then offered them the opportunity to do that via supporting a charity - would they further increase their giving?

Baby photos boost response 5-fold!

Well, it may not be a traditional campaign, but a real-life study has shown that if a stranger finds a wallet, they are more than 5x likely to return it, if it contains a baby photo, compared to no photo!
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/science/article6681923.ece
What would baby photos do to the response to fundraising campaigns?