SPOTLIGHT ON DIRECT MAIL

Get inspired to create effective fundraising letters and mailpacks

Meals on Wheels San Francisco: ‘Deliver Hope’ Giving Tuesday appeal

by Clay Buck

Clay Buck was vaguely sceptical about Giving Tuesday, but then a campaign came along that changed his mind. It took the Giving Tuesday ethos and turned it into something very special – and here’s how. 

University of Sheffield: Direct mail – the longer the better? Two page vs. four page letters

by Heather Clement

How the University of Sheffield drew on best practices to challenge their own preconceptions and achieve markedly improved results.

The Salvation Army’s ‘self-denial fund’

by Sarah Bond

The Salvation Army’s archive includes fundraising gems from over 150 years ago. In this article Sarah Bond shares an original draft appeal letter from The Salvation Army’s founder General William Booth. She also takes a look the evolution of their ‘self-denial fund’ donation envelopes.

LATEST CASE STUDIES

Fantastic fundraising campaigns from around the world

Dogs Trust: ‘Home from Home’ direct mail appeal

by Amber Gerrard-Maxwell

This bright, bold and compelling fundraising campaign from Dogs Trust exceeded all expectations. With a record number of dogs in need of homes, the ‘Home from Home’ appeal raised vital funds to expand the charity’s foster caring network. It smashed its targets and saved many dogs who had nowhere else to go. 

CAFOD: Digital Advent campaign with ethical, authentic creative

by CAFOD and Blue State

CAFOD, the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, wanted to create a new campaign, supporting their work in Afghanistan over the festive period in 2023. The resultant digital fundraising appeal, created with Blue State, was not just successful in recruiting new donors – it also put ethical creative front and centre.

Pasqual Maragall Foundation: ‘A piece of news to be remembered’

by Júlia Padullés Mas

With their first-ever capital campaign, this Spanish charity delivered something very special. An emotive concept, a moving video, well executed landing pages and strong messaging to donors all helped to ensure their target-beating success. If you’re planning a similar appeal, you’ll find plenty of tips here!

LATEST ARTICLES

Expert opinions, insights and how-to guides to inform your fundraising

British Muslims are the most generous group in the UK – how can fundraisers engage them?

by Jasmine Miah

Blue State’s essential report shows that UK Muslims gave four times more in the last 12 months than UK average. Almost half are planning to give more to charity in the next year. Three in four have already donated to support individuals impacted by the war in Gaza. And one in two are open to giving their Zakat to charitable organisations. What does this mean for charities and fundraisers like you?

New study finds legacy giving has gained ground beyond boomer generation

by Remember A Charity

Legacy giving is one of the largest sources of voluntary income for UK charities, but what are the latest trends in legacy giving? These new findings from a long-running benchmarking study provide vital insights for fundraisers – simply click to learn more.

Team Trees – digital fundraising success in aid of the Arbor Day Foundation

by Lynda Harwood-Compton

This article celebrates a viral campaign that has been making a big impact since 2019. Keep reading to learn how two men took on a challenge to plant 20 million trees, engage Gen Z donors, and achieve fundraising success for the Arbor Day Foundation.

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Inclusion or disillusion – how do LGBT+ people in the UK feel about giving to charity?

by Amy Nield

The LGBT+ community represents a huge and growing demographic with considerable giving power. For charities and fundraisers, understanding how to engage this group has never been more important. In this report from sector specialists Consider, their team found out how LGBT+ people in the UK really feel about giving to charities. 

Are F-bombs acceptable for your fundraising?

by Ephraim Gopin

Reader advisory! This article contains strong profanity as Ephraim Gopin explores the dos and don’ts of swearing in charity communications.

Toybox: Not just an Easter appeal

by Robbie Rae

During the coronavirus pandemic, Toybox (a charity dedicated to helping street children) came up with a clever campaign that gave their donors plenty of choice. What was the result? They raised average gift and smashed their fundraising target too.