Clear messaging key to combating donor fatigue, charities say

Tis the season of goodwill, but donor fatigue can be a very real problem for charities at this time of year. A blitz of Christmas appeals means charities can find themselves in competition for what’s left of people’s hard-earned money at an expensive time of year. So how do charities combat this and ensure there isn’t a shortfall just when funds are needed most?

Luckily the Irish public is very generous, especially in the lead-up to Christmas, says Mary Gamble, Barnardos director of fundraising.

“For a fundraiser like myself it is very much heart-in-the-mouth time of year because you are coming towards the end of the year, but you still have a huge amount of money to raise. Every single cent counts when we are out there raising money at Christmas,” she says.

Gamble agrees that charity fatigue is a significant issue and one that charities are acutely aware of. She says a consistent message throughout the year is key in averting donor fatigue at pinch points such as Christmas.

“You need to keep your voice consistent all year round,” she says. “If you are just going out at Christmas and saying ‘We need support’, that isn’t good enough.”

Amy Carr, Focus Ireland’s head of partnerships and philanthropy, agrees, saying the charity also focuses on clear messaging at regular intervals.

“Obviously Christmas is a really important time, but we try not to bombard people and instead make sure people hear from us throughout the year at various points,” she says.

“At Focus Ireland we are always trying to remind people that there are real people behind the homeless figures that are reported. Over 10,000 people are homeless, but these are parents, children and young people, with hopes and dreams and potential. These people’s lives are on hold.”

Helping people understand the impact of their donations is another strategy that charities employ. This is of critical importance given high-profile charity scandals in recent years. It’s about making people understand that their money is spent wisely, says Carr.

“We give them real-life examples of what their donation can mean for a young person or family, and try to make it as tangible as possible,” she explains. “It’s not just about fundraising but about reports we produce or perhaps letting them know how their money has been spent.”

“People want to know where their money is going and that it’s spent on the right things,” says Gamble. Making donors feel appreciated and ensuring that they are thanked is also crucial, she adds.

“Making them understand that they have contributed to a child’s Christmas is a really special gift that you can give to them.”

Sarah Meagher, head of fundraising at LauraLynn, Ireland’s only children’s hospice, says the charity is conscious that it is just one of a number of competing causes in the run up to Christmas, but that doesn’t make the need for additional support any less acute.

“We are really lucky that we have so many supporters that give to us all year round and still give to us at Christmas although it’s true people might feel a certain fatigue at Christmas and have so many good causes to consider, as well as it being such an expensive time of year,” says Meagher.

“We have to fundraise to cover our operating expenses so at this time of year means a lot of pressure. A total of €4.3 million is needed in donations each year to cover our costs and the reality is that 25 per cent of our revenue comes in in November and December,” she says, adding that good corporate support can be a “bonus” for charities at the end of the year.

Unlike other charities, LauraLynn doesn’t hold a major fundraising day or event; their funding thus tends to be quite ad hoc in fashion and comes from a broad mix of sources. The important message is that no donation is too small, Meagher says. “Every single cent counts, it all adds up for us.”

Symbiotic relationship

Eamon Sharkey, director of fundraising at Goal, is quick to emphasise the generosity of the Irish public but acknowledges that a wide variety of factors can contribute to general donor fatigue. He also acknowledges the importance of the symbiotic relationship between a charity and its donors.

“Goal is lucky to have a following of loyal and generous supporters who believe in our mission and our ability to deliver positive change for some of the world’s most vulnerable people,” he says. “At a macro level, giving trends of course track other economic indicators and trends, but there are many, many variables that are just as if not more important, such as the power and clarity of your message, the urgency of the need and an organisation’s ability to build real and meaningful relationships with its supporters.” Having a presence in the online world is key to effective communications, he adds, saying a huge focus of its fundraising campaigns is now through social media and its website.

Sharkey says that, in Goal’s experience, Christmas is a time of “great generosity”. “At this time of the year people very genuinely remember and take action to support vulnerable families. This year our Christmas appeal is ‘Far From Home’, reflecting the fact that more than 70 million people around the world are far from their own homes, are separated physically and emotionally, due to conflict, wars and natural disasters. This is a theme that will also resonate with Irish people who have family far from home.”

According to Carr, choosing which charity to donate to is extremely personal. “Christmas is a really reflective time for people and when they generally want to give back there are a huge array of charities out there and people will go with what resonates for them. In the midst of the parties and festivities people are often motivated to do something altruistic and support charities.”