Elevating Fundraising: 

FUNDRAISING CHALLENGE

Post-Pandemic Adaptation

Facing the hefty task of relying on fundraising and retail sales for 85% of their income, the Longfield team found themselves at a crossroads following the pandemic and whilst in the midst of economic unpredictability. Balancing the need to sustain vital services with financial strains, the team sought innovative solutions to boost fundraising while keeping costs in check. This led them to think outside the box - and to the extraordinary success of their Summer Meadow Appeal.

THE CAMPAIGN

A Meadow of Support

Utilising surplus resources from prior campaigns, the team revamped their Summer Appeal - a bold endeavor to repurpose existing materials, reimagine their fundraising approach and improve ROI.

“For three consecutive years we ran a summer appeal which involved garden stakes of butterflies, forget me nots and then daisies. On average, they raised around £18,000.” explained Kirsty, Fundraising Manager. “The idea for the 2023 Summer Meadow Appeal came from finding an abundance of leftover stock. Why not reduce expenses by using what we already had?”

As with the prior appeals, the stakes were sold for a suggested donation, beautifully displayed at Gloucester Cathedral and then sent on to those that had purchased them to keep.

LEVERAGING DONORFY

Strategic Approach

The team harnessed the power of Donorfy to execute a three-pronged, targeted strategy for the Appeal. 

Reengaging Supporters: By utilising Donorfy’s tag and list functions, they started by segmenting their audience and personalising their outreach. This encouraged people to “complete their collection” and contributed to the campaign’s overall success.

Customisation: Using Donorfy Forms to offer personalisation to the stake was the next step, appealing to in-memory donors as a meaningful way to remember loved ones.

“Luckily this was a skill we had within the team so it did not cost us anything other than time.” added Kirsty.

Reactivating Inactive Donors: Finally, by delving into archived Donorfy data, they uncovered a large pool of supporters that were identified as in-active. They used the opportunity to rekindle a relationship with those supporters.

“We created a bright, modern, engaging piece of collateral and chose to mail it to those donors.” explained Kirsty. “Due to that single leaflet landing on the door step or someone we hadn’t contacted for a couple of years, we were given a one-off donation of £50,000.”

IMPACT

Remarkable Results

The impact of the Summer Meadow Appeal exceeded all expectations. The team’s hard work, resourceful thinking and maximisation of Donorfy played a pivotal role.

The one-off donation of £50k was a big win, and the three-year average campaign ROI soared from 2.8 to an astounding 27, making this campaign almost 10 times more successful than previous years.

Over 1,000 hours of Hospice at Home care were made possible by this appeal alone, providing invaluable support to individuals and families in their time of need.

“Not only has this campaign helped us re-engage with previous supporters, but it provided enough income to pay for over 1000 hours of Hospice at Home care.” said Kirsty.

That care was provided to Nigel, who was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. As his health deteriorated, his wife Penny reached out to his district nurse. Within 48-hours, a hospital bed arrived and Longfield’s Home team had started caring for him.

“Penny said our support helped them stay positive” continued Kirsty. “She told us they didn’t think about the cancer when the carers were with them, that they lifted them up and made them feel like themselves again. It’s an extraordinary gift.”

Longfield's exceptional dedication and achievements were celebrated when the team clinched the Campaign of the Year Award at the 2024 Donorfy Awards. This recognition, voted for by both the public and the Donorfy community, was thoroughly deserved. With an impressive tally of over 1400 votes, Longfield emerged as the favourite - a resounding tribute to a remarkable campaign, and team, with real impact.

"We’re so pleased that the Donorfy Community recognised their outstanding fundraising campaign.” adds Robin Fisk, Donorfy CEO. “They use Donorfy brilliantly, and we’re thrilled they were able to use it to help exceed income expectations.”