MissionFish UK makes grants to help charities fundraise online
Howard Lake | 20 March 2012 | News
MissionFish UK, eBay’s partner charity, has made its first grants to help UK charities develop and expand their online businesses. Eighty eight charities applied and eight were selected to receive a total of £73,398.
The grant recipients were:
· Age UK Solihull
· Saint Michael’s Hospice
· St Peter’s Hospice
· CLIC Sargent
· Ministry of Stories
· Kiveton Park & Wales Community Development Trust
· Kirkwood Hospice
· Sense
Reason for grants scheme
The grants scheme was introduced following research by the Charity Retail Association (CRA) into the barriers experienced by its members to their online trading operations. The survey found that 94% of charities selling online were using eBay, which accounted for 76% of their sales on average. However, only 29% were generating more than 3% of their trading income online.
The members cited lack of working capital, lack of IT equipment, and logistical and staffing issues as the reasons that were holding them back from making more from online trading.
Nick Aldridge, Chief Executive of MissionFish UK, said: “A growing number of UK charities have identified online fundraising as a big opportunity over the next few years. But funds for investment are scarce and charities struggle to find the resources for new operations from scratch.”
Ecommerce solution provider 247 TopSeller is supporting the grants by offering ecommerce consultancy and advice, along with a design upgrade and accompanying hosting and support, free of charge to some of the charities.
How the grants will be used
Sense will be using its grant to fund a new part-time position in its Online Retail Department. CLIC Sargent will use theirs to revamp and expand its eBay Team’s workspace with new computers, cameras, display, shelving and storage equipment.
Charities enjoyed a record year of trading on eBay during 2011, generating £6.25 million from their sales, a 56% increase on 2010’s figure of £4.01 million.
For example, Saint Michael’s Hospice reported that it had raised £10,939 from online trading in the last quarter of 2011 leading up to Christmas. It sold 800 items, with an original World War I jacket selling for £835.
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Will there by further grants?
Nick Aldridge said: “We’re delighted our grants scheme has proven so much in demand, and will look at expanding it once we’ve reviewed the impact of the first round.”
www.missionfish.org.uk
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.