How Key Learnings From The International Fundraising Congress Fuel Winning Strategies in Our Market
By James Read, Chief Creative Officer
It’s hard to think of a more charming place to get lost in thought than the Dutch town of Noordwijk. Rush hour consists of bicycles carrying people to and from jobs and schools, the nearby ocean laps peacefully along sandy shores and fields of tulip add bursts of jewel tones to the surrounding landscape. And once a year, some 1,200 fundraising and social impact leaders come together – in-person and online – to join minds at the International Fundraising Congress (IFC).
Last fall, I connected with this community of fundraising professionals from over 70 countries to share, learn and explore how the latest international fundraising trends help illuminate and inform our work in North America.
A Mirror & A Map: The Landscape Of International Fundraising
Overall, current trends in giving worldwide mirror what we see in North America. In many European countries, there are fewer donors giving larger gifts. This is why countries like the United Kingdom, Germany and France have reported decreases in the number of people donating, yet their overall fundraising income has generally stayed even.
Fundraisers around the globe have also noted the economic impact of inflation, which has made it increasingly difficult for existing donors to give at the level they may have given in the past.
At IFC, a significant challenge many fundraisers grappled with was a decline in trust from the general public. This is an unfortunate reality in many global locations, including the United States, and demonstrates the importance of communicating impact and accountability.
Concurrent with (and perhaps influenced by) this loss of trust, donors and consumers are now funneling dollars towards:
- Direct donation channels like GoFundMe and Kiva, which capture donations that at one time would have likely gone to a nonprofit organization.
- B Corporations and socially responsible companies, which allow consumers to “do good” by purchasing goods and services rather than making a donation.
Perhaps the biggest megatrend that impacts nonprofits everywhere is the continuing shift of consumer attention towards digital channels for socializing, shopping and entertainment, pointing towards the importance of a digital-first approach to fundraising.
Surveying the state of international fundraising, we see the same set of challenges that we face here in North America. How, then, does the international response to those challenges create a map for our next steps here?
1. Leaning Into Decision Science
Decision Science was on the lips of many at IFC this year. When we understand the science behind how donors choose to give, we are better able to react to contemporary trends in fundraising and tailor our messaging and appeals to drive their response.
Words like “science” and “react” might bring to mind beakers, lab coats and the non-zero chance of something exploding, but fear not – Decision Science is the study of how humans make choices and how they are predictably unpredictable.
Decision Science is a multi-faceted field of study, and the applications in fundraising are similarly wide-ranging and thought provoking. Here are just a few examples1 I brought back to BDI’s own creative team as especially valuable:
- Anchoring. When people don’t have a clear number already in mind, they will subconsciously look for clues about how much to contribute. IFC speaker Bernard Ross shared an anecdote about monthly giving canvassers who stood next to a sign for the 23rd street station in downtown Manhattan. The canvassers received higher average gifts from passers-by due to the anchoring impact of “23” on the sign, even though it was completely unrelated to the organization they represented.
- Loss Avoidance. Psychology tells us that humans are more motivated by avoiding loss than they are by gaining something. How do we frame an appeal for donations, knowing that the risk of losing something is the strongest driver to action? Phrases like “last chance” and “don’t miss out” come to mind as strong drivers of response.
- The Happy Hormones. Scientifically sound fundraising starts at the chemical level – how do we trigger the brain’s reward system in potential donors? We have to know the chemicals that influence behavior:
- Dopamine – the anticipation chemical is released when you think about something being better, hence it helps motivate action.
- Oxytocin – the empathy chemical helps connect donors to those your organization serves.
- Serotonin – the feel-good hormone makes the act of giving feel rewarding when the donor does something good and sees themself as a good person.
- Endorphins – the pain-reducing chemical helps ease the process of making a large gift.
These examples only scratch the surface of everything that Decision Science has to offer forward-looking fundraisers. However deeply you’re willing to dive, you can be sure that understanding the principles of Decision Science helps create stronger fundraising.
2. What Are They Watching?
In a world where every person is walking around with a screen in their pocket, it’s no surprise that video has become one of our most important channels of communication – and a part of many discussions at IFC.
According to Cisco, video is the most consumed content format globally, making up 82% of all Internet traffic in 2024. And according to We Are Social, online videos have a reach of 92% worldwide.
When video is everywhere, consumed by everyone, the fundraiser’s question becomes: how do I best leverage this format throughout a supporter’s lifecycle, from prospect to donor? Tips from DTV Global, an agency in London, include:
- Inspire and build awareness among prospective donors with brand films, short documentaries and explainer videos.
- Engage prospective donors using videos that promote a value exchange – like asking them to share their email address in order to sign a petition, receive a premium or take a questionnaire.
- Convert donors and re-engage with prospects using videos that promote a single gift or ongoing monthly support.
- Retain, cultivate and upgrade donors by using videos to share the impact of their gifts, share thanks or promote legacy giving.
Recognizing the importance of video as a key fundraising tool, BDI has built out our in-house video production team, Storytellers Studios, which partners with nonprofit organizations to develop high-impact fundraising and marketing videos. We are committed to including video wherever it makes sense for our client partners to boost engagement and response.2
3. Make It Quick With Responsive Marketing
In an era of declining donors and increased market competition, it’s essential for nonprofits to develop a responsive marketing mindset, and this was also a key topic at IFC.
What is a responsive marketing mindset? It’s being ready to respond to news and issues that affect your nonprofit’s work with precisely-targeted content within 24 hours of when the news breaks. You have to reach donors and prospects while the news is still relevant, and you have to make your appeal before they lose interest.
Donors and prospective donors spend hours every day on social media in search of fresh, relevant content. One estimate is that people can scroll the length of Mt. Everest in just 20 days, consuming videos, images, posts and ads!
During these extended periods of scrolling, the actual window for content to connect is comparatively quite short.
2.5 seconds is the average window for desktop Facebook content.
8.25 seconds is the average attention span.
1.7 seconds is the average window to consume mobile Facebook content.
Your donors are on social media, looking for information that is relevant to their beliefs and values. When something happens that impacts your cause, you have to get in front of them quickly with simple ads that share the news and what your organization is doing.
In order to respond immediately, you should be prepared with pre-made ad template formats that you can use to share the news, accompanied with a simple email to your email list providing donors with a quick, easy path to giving.
Your donors want to act immediately. If they have to wait for your next scheduled direct mail appeal, the urgency of the need and their impulse to give will have waned. Give them the hammer and let them know that the iron is hot.
A Return to Home and to Our Work
In the months since returning home from that beautiful seaside town of Noordwijk, I’ve found myself reflecting often on the people and ideas I encountered at the International Fundraising Congress. And as I’ve shared my findings with my team at BDI, we’ve already begun thinking about ways to apply these learnings to the work we’re doing for BDI’s client partners.
It’s energizing to see fundraisers across the rest of the globe who are as passionate about making the world a better place as the men and women at NPOs across North America. If you’re interested in learning more about how BDI can help your organization apply these strategies to strengthen fundraising, build impact and change lives, please email me.
Footnotes
- Thanks to Bernard Ross of MC Consulting, based in the United Kingdom, for his insightful teaching on decision science.
- Thanks to Saleem Tejani and DTV Global, based in the United Kingdom, for their commitment to put “Film at the Heart of Fundraising.”
