Big ideas for fundraising success in 2025
Fundraising is and has always been a challenge. Now more than ever, charities are being impacted by soaring costs, time pressures and conflicting priorities. By partnering with our clients and acting as their trusted advisor, we are regularly identifying new trends and building strategies to increase acquisition and retention in fundraising. That’s why we’ve grown our lottery and raffle programmes by over half a billion in the last decade.
The ultimate goal is to build a successful fundraising programme and to encourage long-term supporter loyalty. This will ensure we’re able to fulfil our purpose and to provide the services and support needed for those who need it most. How can ELMs, charities and non-profit organisations leverage data insights, technology and fresh perspectives to build a more sustainable fundraising programme?
These are some of the key trends we believe could help you achieve success:
Data-driven fundraising:
Utilising data analytics to understand supporter preferences and behaviour is important. Most CRM systems have built-in analytics and might even have the sophistication of AI or “Einstein” as a feature to help analyse this for you. These insights are useful for optimising campaigns or making them more impactful.
Digital engagement and mobile optimisation:
Don’t underestimate the value and importance of an active social media strategy and calendar, email marketing, relevant and inspiring content and other online platforms to reach and engage supporters. Focus on tools and systems that are easy to integrate and seamlessly support your digital engagement activity and processes. Also, ensure that all online fundraising efforts are mobile-first.
Better supporter experience:
Understanding the supporter lifecycle and how your fundraising product mix can fit your various audiences, as well as personalised communication and a seamless online experience, are all important considerations for building strong supporter relationships.
Recurring support and diversifying revenue streams:
With lotteries, there’s a value exchange benefit compared to regular giving. Supporters feel that keeping their ticket for longer might result in a win, something in return for their ‘donation’. Encouraging recurring ticket sales is key for generating long-term residual income, as these supporters provide stable and predictable income. StarVale’s subscription-based lotteries provide a sustainable source of income and keep supporters engaged and entertained, encouraging long-term loyalty.
Dealing with economic pressures:
The unpredictable economy has highlighted the vulnerability of even the most carefully planned revenue strategies. The challenge lies in constructing a robust plan when the ability to forecast annual income is difficult. The importance of measuring ROI and not always going for the cheapest option. A well planned investment strategy and trustee buy-in can be crucial for longer term success.
Generational shifts and engaging a younger audience:
When we perform market research to understand audience demographics, we also consider the giving preferences of younger generations who are often driven by social and environmental causes. Understanding how to reach the younger generations and what’s important to them is an important insight to consider when planning marketing campaigns.
Building trust and community-driven fundraising:
Maintaining authenticity and openness is key as we know how much supporters value transparency when clearly communicating the impact of their donations. Thank supporters; tell them what impact they’ve made. This helps to build a strong community feel.
Data analysis and personalisation:
As a business, we’re slightly more conservative about how and when to adopt AI into our business practises. My advice is to choose your AI tools carefully and understand the benefits and risks of each tool. Be clear on how the tools process the data and how that might be shared to train the tool or access to others. With large volumes of data, AI can provide streamlined analysis and insights leading to more efficient decision making. This can lead to better outcomes for both the supporter and the charity.
Content creation and engagement:
AI tools can assist in creating compelling fundraising copy and engaging content. As mentioned, it’s important to maintain authenticity and to ensure that AI-generated content still reflects the organisation’s voice.
If you’d like to discuss these trends or other ideas from StarVale, get in touch with our team today to discuss your fundraising needs.
