The lowdown on CRM systems

Let's kick things off with a question. How do you manage your donor data? Excel spreadsheets? Word documents? Post-it notes strewn across your desk?

If you answered yes to any of the above, it’s time for an upgrade.

Enter the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.

What’s a CRM system?

 A CRM system is a software solution that enables charities to store and manage information relating to current and prospective donors, volunteers, suppliers, and other charity stakeholders in a single, centralised database. Think of it as a sophisticated, modern-day Rolodex.

What are the benefits of a charity CRM system?

There are loads of reasons to swap your Excel sheets for a CRM. Namely:

Speed: The beauty of a centralised database is donor information can be quickly accessed and updated by any member of staff. 

Say, for example, a donor calls and asks to be removed from your mailing list. Rather than scribbling a reminder on your hand to wade through your spreadsheets later, you can retrieve and amend their donor record during the call, at the click of a button.

Eliminates manual admin: Excel is labour intensive. It requires a lot of manual input and editing. CRM systems can automate much of the admin for you, from data entry and donation processing to donor communication (i.e., thank you letters) and your fundraising campaigns.

Makes GDPR compliance easier: CRM systems have built-in features to help you adhere to GDPR regulations. For example:

Consent: Fields can be set up to provide granular opt-in options based on communication type (newsletters, appeal letters) and communication channel (phone, email, SMS, post).

Security: Excel offers very little in terms of security. Access can be easily granted, and files can be saved to personal computers and shared outside of your organisation.

However, CRM systems come equipped with robust security features such as data encryption, multilevel security, and anti-hacking tools, to keep your data safe.

Reporting: Most CRM systems have inbuilt reporting features, which you can use to track everything from donor acquisition rates, to fundraising income (by campaign).

This can help you identify what’s working/not working and easily pull-out key data for trustees/grant makers/other stakeholders.

CRM picks:

Those are just a few of the benefits of investing in a CRM system.

Now let’s turn our attention to what’s on the market.

Here are our top picks for small, mid-level and large charities: 

Small charities

Donorfy is an entry level donation management tool, designed to help small charities automate their fundraising admin and understand donor behaviour.

Easy to learn and simple to use, it’s a great option for non-tech-savvy fundraisers.

The cloud-based system comes with a range of basic features for data import, fundraising, gift entries, prospect tracking, event management, and campaign management. 

On the downside, it lacks the more sophisticated features you’ll find in the likes of Salesforce.

With regards to pricing, there’s a free plan (Donorfy Essentials), for charities with fewer than 500 constituents. This has all the basic features you need to move away from spreadsheets. 

The paid version (Donorfy Professional) enables you to access all the features. It starts at £65 a month for 500 constituents.

You can see a comparison of the features here.

Medium-sized charities

Designed for growing organisations, Blackbaud’s eTapestry helps charities be smarter with their donor data management.

This user-friendly solution comes with a series of tools to help you optimise your donor data, manage your fundraising activities, and manage your communication strategy, so you can engage with supporters more effectively.

The CRM can consolidate payment processing, email automation, social media, and event management. There are also functions for membership management.

You’ll need to contact eTapestry for a customised quote. But, as a rough guide, prices start at $99 per month for up to 1,000 records and 25,000 emails a year.

Note: Some of eTapestry’s features cost extra, so check you’ll get everything you need before diving in.

Large Charities

Salesforce is a major player in the CRM space, with a 19.8% share of the corporate market.

In 2018, they launched a cloud-based version of the software, specifically for charities.

Ideal for charities with a big budget and complex requirements, Salesforce for Nonprofits comes with a wide range of features for retaining and engaging donors, monitoring resources and funding, and campaign tracking.

One of the most sophisticated systems on the market, it’s highly customisable and the technology integrates seamlessly with other Salesforce products and third-party applications.

The best bit? Registered charities can apply for ten free licenses through Salesforce’s Power of Us programme. For additional subscriptions, you’ll need to get a bespoke quote from a Salesforce Account Manager.

Note: Salesforce can be difficult to set up and use, especially for small charities with limited IT resources and expertise.

Final Word

Streamlining donor management is important if you’re looking to scale-up your fundraising efforts. The CRMs covered in this post are designed to help you do just that.

Looking to hire a CRM expert to level up your donor management? We can help. Call us on 020 3750 3111 to find out how.

Why you need a fundraiser on your board

One of the key responsibilities of a non-profit board is to ensure that the organisation has enough resources to fulfil its mission. This means supporting them with their fundraising programmes.

Among their responsibilities set out in the Good Governance Code, trustees should regularly review charity’s key policies and procedures (including fundraising), and ensure that the fundraising targets are appropriate, realistic, and measurable.

Despite the important role trustees play, evidence shows that fundraising expertise is lacking on many trustee boards. In fact, according to the Institute of Fundraising’s Get Raising report, 81% of respondents said that fundraising skills and experience were underrepresented on Boards they’d worked with, while 92% said that having a fundraiser on their board would help them with their job.

What are the benefits for charities of having fundraisers as trustees?

Not only can it help charity boards embed an informed and innovative fundraising strategy, manage risk appropriately and ensure compliance, it’s also a great opportunity for fundraisers to develop their management and strategic skills, with the view to progressing into a management role.

So why aren’t more fundraisers stepping up to become trustees?

A report by Peridot Partners and The Social Change Agency found the following concerns:

• Fundraisers often feel that they’re not the ‘right ft’ for charity boards - that they’re unable to live up to the expected image of a traditional trustee. As a result, they’re put off from applying.

• Many fundraisers felt they would be unable to secure the time off work or fit the role in with their other commitments if they weren’t supported by their employers.

• Despite already working in the charity sector, many fundraisers reported that they do not know where to look for trustee roles.

• When recruiting, it was felt that boards look for more traditional skills such as accountancy or legal experience, and do not consider fundraising skills to be as relevant. As a result, they fail to recognise the valuable skills and experience of their own fundraisers.

What can you do to increase fundraising governance skills on your board?

• Consider how you can support your staff to become trustees. Do you offer reasonable flexibility to allow employees to attend Board meetings and fulfil the role? Is it a part of your staff development plans and HR processes?

• Your trustee board should review how they operate to ensure they encourage a diverse range of people to join. The times of meetings, or contribution expected should suit those who have to juggle work and family commitments.

• Encourage your fundraisers to become trustees as part of their personal development plans.

• Your boards should consider creating a fundraising subcommittee as a stepping stone for fundraisers to join the board, to provide better scrutiny and governance around your  fundraising activity.

Final Word

Whether you’re a fundraiser looking to take on a trustee role, or a charity looking to implement a strategy to support trustee-fundraisers, we can help. Call us on 020 3750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk.

How to fundraise on Facebook & Instagram

Facebook needs little introduction. The Meta-owned site is the world’s most popular social media platform, with a whopping 2.96 billion monthly active users. To put it in perspective, that’s roughly 37% of people on the planet.

This alone is reason enough to add Facebook to your digital fundraising arsenal, but over and above that, it appeals to a broad demographic. 25 -34-year-olds make up the lion’s share of its audience, followed by 18- to 24-year-olds.

But it’s also the social media platform of choice for the 50+ market.

It’s also worth noting that over 7 million people in the UK have donated to a good cause via Facebook, through birthday fundraisers, virtual challenge events, tribute fundraisers, and the trusty donate button (more about that later).

Instagram in numbers

The third most popular social media site after Facebook and YouTube, Instagram boasts 2 billion monthly active users.   

As with Facebook, the largest share of users is the 25-34 age group, followed by 18–24-year-olds.  

How can Facebook & Instagram be used for fundraising?

You can generate income in various ways on both platforms, but to do so you need to apply to use Meta’s fundraising tools. Once approved, you’ll be able to use the tools, enable supporters to fundraise on your behalf, and access detailed fundraising analytics.

Bear in mind, applications take 2-3 weeks to be reviewed.

Here’s a step by step guide to applying.

Tip: To use the fundraising tools on Instagram, you need to have an Instagram business account and link it to your Facebook account.

What are the various fundraising tools?

Charity page fundraisers

The ‘fundraiser’ tool enables you to create dedicated fundraising pages which can be promoted and shared to encourage donations.

You can personalise your page with a cover photo, description, and fundraising goal.

The beauty of fundraisers is, every time someone donates, they are prompted to share the page with friends. These shares contain a donate button, making it easy for recipients to donate straight from their news feed.

Once you’re approved to use Meta’s fundraising tools, your supporters can set up fundraisers on your behalf. Birthday fundraisers can be particularly lucrative. Just ask UK based charity, Sands. The stillbirth and neo natal death charity raised £68,000 in one month from Facebook birthday fundraisers alone!

Tip: To enable people to raise money on your behalf, you need to have Facebook Fundraising turned on. Find out how to do this here.

On Instagram, you can add fundraisers to posts and reels (60-second videos), but bear in mind, you can only do the latter on a mobile phone or Ipad. 

Tip: If your Instagram profile is set to public, your fundraiser will be visible to anyone. If it’s private, only people who follow you will be able to see it and donate.

Donate button

This tool does what it says on the tin – it provides a quick and easy way for supporters to contribute to your cause.

On Facebook, you can add a donate button to your profile, posts, paid ads, and Live videos. On Instagram, you can add a button to your profile, but for stories (15-second videos) and reels, you’ll need to create a donation sticker.

Tip: Before you can add a donate button to either app, you'll need to sign up for Meta Pay.

Facebook and Instagram Live

Live video is a powerful way to reach, engage with, and inspire people to donate.

You can use it to (for example), tell stories that explain your mission, raise awareness of your cause, or explain how donors’ money is being spent.

You can even stream live fundraising events, as Facebook Live content can be streamed for up to 8 hours, and Instagram Live up to 4 hours.

Viewers can react, comment, and ask questions during live streams on both platforms, giving you a prime opportunity to engage with them. 

Tip: On Facebook, a recording of the stream will be published to your page automatically once the live stream ends, but you’ll need to share your Instagram streams manually.

Fundraising insights dashboard

Another handy tool in Meta’s fundraising arsenal is the Fundraiser Insights Dashboard. You can use it to measure the progress of your fundraising campaigns and donations made to your organisation. The information is updated in real time.

To access your dashboard, click ‘Fundraisers’, then select ‘Insights.’

You can learn how to use your dashboard here.

Final Word

Facebook and Instagram are behemoths in the social media world. If you’re not taking advantage of their immense influence and reach, use this guide to get started!

If you’re looking for a digital savvy fundraiser to help, give us a call on 020 3750 3111 or info@bamboofundraising.co.uk.

The benefits of cross-charity collaboration

Charities across the UK do a fantastic job providing vital support and services to those in need. But times are tough. A combination of the cost-of-living crisis and increased demand for services has put a strain on many.

We’d argue that it’s never been more important for charities to consider collaborating to achieve their mission, reduce costs, and multiply the impact they have across the sector.

Read on to find out why.

How can charities collaborate?

There are loads of ways charities can work together. For example:

• Sharing knowledge, skills, and information can help you solve problems and increase impact.

• Sharing office space, facilities, and/or equipment can reduce costs.

• Running joint fundraising events can help you reach a wider pool of donors.

• Establishing new programmes/services can help you better serve beneficiaries.

• Joint training sessions can help you establish best practice and explore better ways of working in your niche.

• Teaming up to campaign for change will enable you to speak with greater authority.

Case Studies

Now we’ve identified some of the ways charities can cross collaborate, let’s see how organisations have put it into action.

One Cancer Voice

When it comes to campaigning, there’s strength in numbers. Take One Cancer Voice. In 2021, over 50 cancer charities including Breast Cancer Now, Cancer Research UK and Teenage Cancer Trust formed a coalition to campaign for the NHS and UK government to tackle the backlog of cancer cases as a result of the COVID pandemic.

As a collective, they released a statement setting out a plan of action, and urged ‘our 4 nation governments and the NHS to make it a reality’.

The lobbying resulted in a commitment from the government to provide ‘hundreds of millions of pounds in additional funding over the SR21 period to ensure a bigger and better trained NHS workforce”.

British Red Cross & FareShare

Back in 2020, the British Red Cross and UK food charity, FareShare, came together in a bid to keep the country fed during the pandemic. Combining FareShare’s food redistribution network with resources and volunteers from the Red Cross, the partnership enabled the delivery of 2 million meals a week to those at risk of hunger, (up from 1m million before lockdown).

Brainathlon 

In 2021, Brain Research UK, Brain Tumour Research and Epilepsy Research UK launched a collaborative fundraising campaign in a bid to make up for the income shortfall caused by the pandemic.

The charities asked their supporters to take part in Brainathlon - a virtual fundraising challenge that required participants to run 15 miles, walk 10 miles and climb 1.2 miles (or 2, 500 stairs) whilst raising money for three neuro research charities.

The campaign raised a much needed £61,000, which was distributed equally between the three causes.

Wrapping up

If these examples have convinced you of the power of collaboration, there’s lots of advice and guidance on NCVO’s website.

Don’t forget, if you’re a fundraiser looking for a new role, or a charity on the hunt for a fundraising professional to join your team, we can help. Give us a call on 020 3750 3111 today!

The Small Charities Advisory Panel

There’s some good news for small charities.

In Spring 2022, the Small Charities Coalition (SCC) was forced to close due to shortfall in funding. The organisation championed small charities by providing low-cost training and events, information, and mentoring to ensure they had access to the skills and resources they need to thrive.

In a further blow, the Foundation for Social Improvement (a membership body that provides free advice and heavily subsidised training in strategy, governance, fundraising and impact to small charities) announced that they will also be winding up this Spring, due to a lack of funding.

The good news

To address the gap in provision, the Foundation for Social Improvement (FSI) teamed up with the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) to create the Small Charities Advisory Panel as part of a deal to take over its services, and those of the defunct SCC.

Launched last month, the panel will champion the voices and experiences of small charities and ensure that they can continue to access tailored help, support, and advocacy.

About the panel

There are 14 members on the panel, including representatives from six small charities, two funders and six infrastructure organisations.

It’s being jointly chaired by Ray Coyle, director of volunteering charity Oxford Hub, and Vicki Beevers, chief executive of The Sleep Charity.

Other members include Becky Gilbert, co-founder of Baby Bank Network, Matt Plen, former chief executive of Masorti Judaism, and Amina Ali, a consultant at the charity think tank NPC. 

The chair of the FSI, Noorzaman Rashid, will also sit on the committee.

The role of the panel

The panel will help the NCVO and their partners anticipate and meet the needs of smaller voluntary sector organisations. They will also work with organisations across the sector to ensure that wider support offer is comprehensive, responsive, and coherent.

Among other responsibilities, the panel will:

• ·Share and explore insights and emerging trends, identifying gaps in support for small charities and finding ways to fill them.

• Share expertise to improve the practical support offering from the NCVO.

• Actively engage and represent the panel in appropriate forums and discussions, including being the ‘voice’ of small charities with a seat at the table in policy making forums.

Bring lived experience of small charities and best practice of small charity infrastructure support to guide the strategic direction of support for small charities.

Holding the NCVO accountable to ensure the voice of small charities is heard at all levels.

You can find out more about the panel and its members on the NCVO’s website.

Final Word

Infrastructure is a vital part of the voluntary sector ecosystem, providing support, connection and voice to government, so charities can focus on delivering their mission. And yet, over 1,000 infrastructure charities have closed in the last decade.

The launch of the Small Charities Advisory Panel and the commitment by the NCVO to secure and build on the legacy of the SCC and FIS will ensure that small charities are given a voice and are equipped to continue to provide their vital services to communities throughout the UK.

Looking for a savvy fundraiser? Whether your charity is large or small, we can help. Give us a call on 020 3750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to find out how.