Best use of events

Howard Lake | 28 April 2011 | Blogs

For the campaign that demonstrates the best use of event fundraising conducted by any charity, or branch of a national charity or charities.
The shortlisted entries in alphabetical order are:
Breakthrough Breast Cancer
Crisis
The Royal British Legion
Breakthrough Breast Cancer
Go Pink is Breakthrough’s integrated fundraising campaign for breast cancer awareness month. This year (2010) was a final attempt to turn the event around before considering if it should be dropped. The objectives were to raise at least £184,426, recruit at least 2,250 registrations and convert 23% of those to donors. In the end 2,807 people registered, 68% of whom were new to Breakthrough. 34% were converted to donors and £301,755 was raised. The results were due to tight targeting of audiences in workplaces, schools, groups and associations and individuals Going Pink with their friends. New creative and messaging based on research from past events included PPC activity and mailings to warm supporters spanning different teams within fundraising. Local level promotion of Go Pink was done through recruiting volunteer ambassadors from the supporter database.
Crisis
A Positive View was an exhibition and charity auction of international signed photography by iconic photographers. The month long exhibition at Somerset House was followed by a Royal Gala charity auction hosted by Christie’s and attended by the Project’s Royal Patron, Prince William. It was targeted to raise £206k, actively involve Crisis’ clients in the exhibition and achieve exhibition footfall of 15,000. In the end, net income was £358,596. The exhibition was internationally important in its own right. Crisis photography staff and client group worked alongside the events team from the beginning, ensuring homeless clients were involved in the exhibition. A year’s photographic course was run, resulting in five clients having their work hung in the exhibition and sold at the auction.
The Royal British Legion
The Afghanistan Heroes Field of Remembrance aimed to create a fitting tribute to remember the servicemen and women who have lost their lives in the Afghanistan confflict. It comprised three elements: mailing to the target audience; planting and setting up of the garden; and an official opening on 9 November. 413,000 existing supporters were mailed and a mail pack was door-dropped. In the three days before the opening 30,000 Remembrance crosses were planted that had been returned to the charity from warm and cold supporters via DM and the website. Projected income was £507,854. Actual income was £762,996 with an RoI of 2.34. The National Fundraising Team were supported by a number of volunteers, by local Army cadets, RBL branch personnel and by regional fundraisers. BAE Systems also provided 40 volunteers to help plant the crosses.

About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale. He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.