Pizza

We’ve all done it.  Intended to do something and then got distracted by something else.

This weekend, it was me with pizza.  Now I love my food.  But I got distracted (I would love to say I was distracted by work, but actually it was by 80s TV series Fame) and forgot that the pizzas were in the oven.  45 minutes later – this was the result…

So, what has forgetting got to do with fundraising, I hear you ask?

The most important thing about fundraising isn’t actually the money that you bring in, but your donors.  Whether they be big funders (such as the Big Lottery Fund which can give you around £100,000 a year), or little donors (such as Mrs Smith, who gives £5 every Christmas), donors are vital to charities.

It’s so easy to receive a donation, bank it and then go about your regular work.  People in small charities often have a million things to do at once.  But pausing, thinking and thanking is vital. It only takes a letter or a phone call and instantly your donor feels that their donation matters.  It’s the first step in what fundraisers call ‘donor retention’; keeping donors interested in your charity so that they are more likely to give again in the future.

The cost of ‘acquiring’ new donors is staggering.  When you’re looking at community fundraising, it could range from £76 to £160! (See here).  But once you have a donor on board, then it costs far less to keep them as a regular donor.  What’s the cost of a letter or phone call?  Certainly not £76!

For charities, every donation matters.  And every donor should matter too.  So don’t forget to thank your donors!