I often research a topic before meeting a client. Not every seed germinates. But I figure the infomation will come in hand, especially if its a secor or industry I'd like to work within. Primarily I'm a resource provider and project facilitator so I guess fundraising is a niche I'm attracted to. I've never really done any direct campaigning but I've taken part in a fair few sponsored events, supported Red Nose Day, Children in Need and regualarly donate to Green Peace and NSPCC. I do avoid on the street charity subscription teams in the same way I give Big Issue sellers and market researchers a wide birth. When I'm in town I'm more often than not passing through on a work erands.
Ok the point! After a day at the Institute of Fundraising's 2011 National Convention I remembered some research I'd done for a client the year before. At this years convention there was an interest in the potential of social media, it's associated technology, platforms and tools to compliment and support fundraising activity with some great examples. Mobile in particular encouraging what I come to call 'ambient participation' was of interest to many, the most potent and easy to adopt being QR codes. A QR code opens up the opportunity for printed media and digital displays to connect directly to a donation page via a mobile devise. Intergrated with a mobile payment mechanism this 'ambient participation' (catching people at a moment of engagement while out and about) has great value.
Being 'on the ground' for this event as a blogger was quite liberating as a practitioner. I got to make media. As PCM's organiser I spend much of my time at events serveying the crowd, maintaining a schedule and liasing with the venue or event team. Having a second blogger, a highly capable one (@philcampbell) has made the PCM 'on the ground' events and projects I have been engaged with possible. I had a great time at #IOFNC.
I loved NFP Voice's use of QR codes. Voice's Head of Client Servcies and Strategy, Sylwia Presley invited Phil and I to cover the event. Here are their t-shirts, postcards and exhibition stand. The stand was inspired. I've never known how to tackle delivering a stand for PCM but now I know. Breathtakingly simple.
A selection of fundraising-online resources and articles from previous research.
Social Networks (and widgets) for Community Building, Taking Action and/or Fundraising - http://www.wearemedia.org/Tactical+Track+Module+5
Raise Money on Facebook: Four Fundraising Applications You Need to Know About - http://www.nten.org/blog/2007/09/27/raise-money-on-facebook-four-fundraising-applications-you-need-to-know-about
Video Tutorial: How To Embed A Social Or Fundraising Widget Into Your Facebook Page http://johnhaydon.com/2009/01/embed-social-fundraising-widget-facebook-page/
Online Platforms
Fundraising widgets for webs, blogs and social networking sites.
www.justgiving.com - About Just Giving
When we created the company in 1999, our dream was to enable any charity, however small, to use the web to raise money at very low cost. Almost no one believed it could be done. Nearly ten years later, we are proud to have become the leading online platform for charity giving, helping over 8,000 member charities raise more than £450 million.
BringLight.com
A central hub for charities to post information about themselves and get donations. All listed charities are certified.
http://www.pincgiving.com/
Providing the leading technology platform for Chief Philanthropic Officers to engage and inspire ~ Helping corporations and charities achieve their philanthropic goals Donate to the charity of your choice in Canada, USA, UK and Australia; put the power of giving on your organization's website; create a peer to peer fundraising campaign or access millions of dollars in grant money. ALL in the currency of your choice.
http://www.kickstarter.com/
Kickstarter is a funding platform for artists, designers, filmmakers, musicians, journalists, inventors, explorers...
http://www.chipin.com/
ChipIn’s mission is to make it easy to collect money. We enable users to organize group payments and fundraisers (”ChipIns”) in a quick, easy, and secure way. We also make it simple for organizers to publicize their ChipIns, by providing powerful fundraising widgets that can be embedded in social media.
http://www.firstgiving.com/
Start raising money with a fundraising page. You can make your own fundraising page on Firstgiving to raise money for any nonprofit organization. Email your page to friends, family and colleagues, who donate by credit or debit card in an easy, secure online transaction.
