Three fundraising trends for 2011

My blog headline suggests that I'll talk about gadgets and technical trends, but in 2011 we'll still need to come to grips with the basics of this exciting and still relatively new online environment.

The opportunity to gain mutual benefit through social media and online strategies for fundraising organisations, the community and businesses, fully dawned on me in 2010 – an epiphany!

My true interest in social media is the way that it is naturally attracting large numbers through something as ageless as time itself – the human desire to have and hold relationships through contact and conversation. Caring and acts of generosity naturally fit with this and are therefore a natural social media playground. See the new Giving For Good website.

So keen am I about this notion that in 2011 we'll be developing a range of online tools to support these ideas through our campaign website, Issues.co.nz.

But what are the likely emerging trends in fundraising for 2011 and what are some of the things not-for-profit organisations and businesses will be doing to take advantage?

Firstly, online fundraising is in its infancy in New Zealand and we lack the critical mass of numbers of people that have made it a revolution overseas, particularly in the United States. But we have seen the tentative early successes already of sites such as FundraiseOnline and Give A Little. Otherwise, we have seen a scattering of approaches in fundraising from the traditional media approach, for example, World Vision's Smiles that change lives, to campaigns that generally use social media platforms, such as Facebook, to augment a website or traditional appeal.

However for reasons of economy and efficiency, it is inevitable that New Zealand fundraising will to need to get a whole lot smarter and embrace online properly.

Here's the three things I think we'll see more of in 2011.

1. Fundraising will need to be planned and properly implemented

It seems an obvious thing to say, but the evidence suggests that this is rarely happening. In general, New Zealand fundraising online campaigns are still ad-hoc. In 2011 we will begin to see campaigns that are much more fully integrated and following these kinds of principles:

• Finding suitable organisations and businesses that are already active in social media and asking them to be partners
• Creating and fostering partnership communities where the mutual benefits are strategically organised
• Creating a strong theme with clear goals
• Targeting an appropriate and pre-defined audience
• Motivating supporters
• Getting the timing right
• Always following up

2. Fundraising campaigns will engage more

Too many good causes and too many adverse events inevitably lead to donor and public fatigue. But goodwill and generosity will continue to prevail if campaigns can have more fun, be more relevant and offer themes that appeal to people. The key to this, again, is planning and the generation of great ideas. One of the best ways of achieving this is through the use of a team of committed people and through using the online engagement to generate ideas from the community.

3. Creating the right online platform for the fundraising organisation

Many fundraising campaigns use their own organisation site as a kind of default campaign website, while social media sites, such as Twitter and Facebook are used to provide engagement and pulling power. 2011 is the year for organisations to realise that their own online platform is crucial to using social media most effectively.

A tool that will inevitably emerge more in fundraising are mobile phones. They are becoming more capable and many are increasingly using them as portable computers. See how mobile was used in the Haiti Earthquake Relief Effort.

Let me know how you see fundraising in 2011 or send me a point or question by email.

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About the author facebook.com/frasercarson2  www.fresco.co.nz

Fraser Carson is a respected communications and social media consultant, and commentator. He has particular experience and interest in community building, the not-for-profit sector and business development.

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