Presented at the Institute of Fundraising North's conference on fundraising and social media at York on 12 February 2009, this presentation was designed to cover the basics of online fundraising and give delegates some background to how online fundraising had developed. The message was - don't panic. Address the basics of getting your charity's website and online communications right, before you embark too far on engaging with social media.

1. The story so far: charity websites and email (The good, the bad and just don't go there!) Presented at Institute of Fundraising North, York 12 February 2009 Howard Lake Fundraising UK Ltd www.fundraising.co.uk [email_address] 01206 579081

2. since November 1994

4. Guinness World Record Between 6.16pm on 30 December and 6.16pm on 31 December 2004, the DEC website received 166,936 donations, raising £10,676,836 for the Tsunami Earthquake Appeal. This is the most money ever donated online in 24 hours. Guinness World Records

5. "New media is a very high-reach, low-cost medium driven by content. The great advantage for charities is that they have a great story to tell… New media allows people to participate, so they're not passive recipients of advertising." Joe Barrell Head of Communications, Save the Children Collecting by Clicks, by Trina Wallace SocietyGuardian.co.uk 17 May 2007

12. Benefits of a site map November 2007

14. Test prompted levels of giving www.rednoseday.com 16 March 2007

16. Easy errors Forgetting to update your copyright notice’s year on your website. (US figures for end of January 2007) Source: www.blogbaud.com/2007/02/01/copyright-check-is-your-site-still-in-2006

19. E-mail is important Repeat after me: "Email is more important than my Web site!" Michael Gilbert The Gilbert E-mail Manifesto April 2001

20. Web, web, web, web… So long as online fundraising was defined by the ability to take credit card transactions through a web interface, I was a skeptic Michael Gilbert Frictionless Fundraising: How the Internet can Bring Fundraising back into Balance February 2003

24. 80% of Guide Dogs' income comes from legacies. They are crucial to maintaining our long-term commitment to meeting the mobility needs of blind and partially sighted people. For more information about how you could help transform peoples lives forever with a gift in your Will, please contact Iain McAndrew on 0118 983 8284 Email: iain.mcandrew@gdba.org.uk or visit us at http://www.guidedogs.org.uk/helpus/legacies.htm

25. E-mail newsletters for donors The mailing list… is probably the most powerful tool a non-profit has to connect campaigners. Mike Johnston The Fund Raiser’s Guide to the Internet 1999, p.169

26. Combining media works Response rates to direct mail fundraising appeals may increase 18-20% when mailed to donors who have also signed up to receive e-newsletters from the non-profit. Rick Christ NPAdvisors February 2003

28. Make it easy for subscribers

29. Best day to send an email? A recommendation on the best day to mail: today. As soon as you have something that your donors will want to read, get it approved and send it right away. Now is always better than later. Shattering Online Fundraising Myths Rick Christ and Heather Fignar 14 February 2005 www.afpnet.org/ka/ka-3.cfm?folder_id=893&content_item_id=19829

30. Wood Green Animal Shelters and Dodger The shelter needed £3,000 to pay for an operation to save Dodger. It sent 200 emails to staff and supporters, which raised the money in 48 hours - signing up 84 new donors in the process. Step closer to the holy grail Caspar van Vark, The Guardian 8 November 2006

32. Gather email addresses

34. Emails can have viral effect

37. Why fundraise with e-mail? Yes, the Internet can facilitate spamming people with more and more requests for money. But its low cost and high touch aspects can also facilitate treating almost every donor with the care and depth of a major donor. That is a genuine breakthrough with enormous rewards. Michael Gilbert Frictionless Fundraising September 2004

39. … and on the sponsor’s site

41. Use humour www.doogle.com (Guinness) 22 March 2005

42. Humour: page not found

47. Everyclick.com

49. The BigGive.co.uk

50. CSRRegister.com

52. Just when you were ready… Photo: aloshbennett on Flickr.com http://www.flickr.com/photos/aloshbennett/2420671057/

54. A practical approach to success Oxfam’s Web site is moving from being ‘about Oxfam GB’ to ‘being Oxfam GB’ Andrew Hatton Oxfam GB June 2001

56. Thank you Howard Lake Fundraising UK Ltd www.fundraising.co.uk [email_address] 01206 579081 twitter.com/howardlake twitter.com/ukfundraising