I'm in position for #IWITOT - the brilliant event at which fundraisers speak about fundraising ideas they wish they'd thought of, organised by @SOFIIisHOT and @FundEverywhere. This is my thread covering it.

Should have straightened my glasses, clearly. This is the #IWITOT line up!

First up is Jess Winchester, from Forest and Bird.
Didn't expect this... she's talking about the oldest call to action, when Moses builds the Tabernacle - the tent to house the ten commandments. #IWITOT

It's a remarkable document that lays out the bare bones of the campaign. This was a call for gifts & skilled volunteers, giving tremendous detail of what they were going to build. They used figures of authority for the appeal. Encouraged giving according to the means.
#IWITOT

Volunteer training in the middle of the desert, 2,500 years ago! It's an A to Z of what was needed to make a successful campaign happen.
Such relevance for today. We rely on volunteers globally.
#IWITOT

Next up at #IWITOT is @Written_Jen who's talking about charity shops.

"What a brilliant idea! You take stuff people don't want, sell it as stuff people do want, and you use it to change the world!"

https://twitter.com/richardsved/status/1252567487100661760?s=20

What can we learn?
Not a traditional ask.
Makes giving accessible, democratises it.
Encourages people to give time.

* Fundraising is about more than just asking for money. *

Next up is @_ChloeGreen_ who's going to talk about "when queers beat the bigots of Australia".
#IWITOT

Minus18 were selling tickets for queer prom through a crowdfunder. Stop Safe Schools Coalition bought up all the tickets so nobody could go, but they were in fact subsidising hundreds of attendees to go instead! Homophobic cash and huge press attention resulted.
#IWITOT

A beautiful, fascinating, funny accident.

Minus18 did the right thing by their beneficiaries, reaffirmed their commitment to the cause. Went public with the hate they were receiving, & called for the international community to come to their aid, which they did.

Great!
#IWITOT

Now at #IWITOT is @joewritescopy who is talking about the Blue Peter badge! Funnily enough I blogged about this a few years ago.

"I could never get my hands on 1! I even designed a Blue Peter Faberge egg... The Blue Peter totaliser. I wish I'd thought of that... a design icon."

The totaliser showed progress against the goal in a really visual way.
"You didn't need to be good at counting to understand the money was racking up. It was right there in your living room, on your TV, made you feel connected to something far far bigger."

When the total was reached it would explode!

Ask ask ask. We never pause for breath & say "we've done something brilliant" - Blue Peter did.

People are desperate for something to celebrate right now. Remember how good it feels to feel a total reached and celebrate our progress.

@joewritescopy that was superb. Something in my eye here.

Here's the blog I wrote a few years ago on a very similar subject! https://blog.dev.justgiving.com/what-blue-peter-taught-me-about-fundraising-campaigns/

Now it's @steinlyndall - a true fundraising giant - talking about Refugee Tales.
#IWITOT

The Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group were doing 5 days of walks to invite ppl to learn more about what they do. It was an incredible experience. I was inspired by the stories I heard of people who despite their terrible experiences had survived with their humanity intact.

#iwitot

It was amazing to hear what they have achieved, with a tiny staff. This year we'll have to help them to fundraise virtually. What they are doing is so amazing.

@steinlyndall at #IWITOT

Next up at #IWITOT - @diveesha on the idea she wishes she'd thought of - Showerbox - shower in a box.

A solution for the community by the community.

There are real people everywhere who can start campaigns like these.

Where can you find people like Showerbox's Sarah?

What do you do when you find them? Who is social & vocal? Share their story.

Update. Collect data. Broadcast. Help them go large. You are in best position to support them.

You are the best people to scale it up.

#IWITOT

Now up at #IWITOT is @jberth2 talking about... loving donors and showing emotions.

"Live, breathe, eat and practise #donorlove" - @agentjenlove

Don't just pay lip service to it.

Love is a feeling, not just an intellectual concept.

#IWITOT

Shout out from @jberth2 to the @RNLI - "You're part of the crew & as crew members we look out for each other."

"That brilliant video. I wish I'd thought of that. That's what love looks like. Care. Selfless compassion ... this is powerful."

That is the #donorlove accelerator.

Now it's @felicity_iof talking about Sumatran Orangutan Society.

Opp to buy land & reclaim it for orangutans - Rainforest Home Appeal. 6 month target. Needed £300k in 1st 2 weeks, & then further deposits. Clear fundraising camapaign. Used Jungle Book characters.

This is the video that the gremlins stopped:
https://vimeo.com/288154003 

Showed @felicity_iof how to connect to a niche cause, put money behind shareable content, make corporate partnership work, in this case with Lush.

#iwitot

Now it's @_Elle_Jay_ talking about the #IAmSanta Secret Santa digital donor campaign which Action for Children started in 2018.

The campaign grew and "snowballed" fed largely by digital.

I like the Secret Santa codename generator idea.

Clever, simple and low cost.

#IWITOT

Stands out in busy market. Connected to Christmas, helps to divert from commercialism, spread joy & hope for a cause that's difficult to sell. Instant appreciation for donor. Thank them immediately. Enabled online community. Excellent use of hashtag for peer to peer recruitment.

Now it's @JuliaJuliaw on Trauma on the Tracks, the award winning partnership between @samaritans and @networkrail.

10 years ago, hard to find companies that might support suicide-related causes.

The answer was research. Suicide is a huge financial issue for railways.

#IWITOT

Launched a 3 year partnership, with training and support. 13% reduction in suicide rate in first year alone. 20,000 staff trained in suicide prevention, 1,300 have had trauma support training, marketing and awareness in stations. Staff now intervene 80,000 times daily.

"I know this because I am Sarah."

Such a brilliant film. Superb.

Lessons:
1. Do your research
2. Look for synergy
3. Address the pain point
4. Symbiotic partnerships

#IWITOT

Here's audition winner @Megan640 who wishes she'd thought of the Choose Love campaign, where you go into a shop, buy real products for refugees & leave empty handed.
1. Raised lots of money quickly - £1.5M in 2018
2. Impactful & engaging
3. Got lots of people talking about it

Great presentation @Megan640! I wasn't the only one clapping! This would have got thunderous applause in real life.
#IWITOT

I picked this because these folk are thinking big, and are making real authentic change. And most importantly, they're collaborating."

Next is Liz Campbell-Black on the coalition partnership beween @CR_UK @TheBHF @DiabetesUK and @Tesco.

#IWITOT

"Big problems need big solutions, and big problems have been solved before."

"How do we solve the UK's biggest problems, like the nation's health? Let's "Be More NASA"."

"We need to make an impact, and we need to make real long term behavioural change."

#IWITOT

To have 4 huge brands working at such scale is fresh & exciting. Real authentic transformation is possible. Supporters love authenticity and purpose. It's a mission-oriented approach, like NASA. Each partner is bringing something. Trust, research, reach, data. A true coalition.

What can we learn from this?

Be More NASA!
Communicate.
Who can we partner up with to face a bigger goal?
Which organisations have values with our core mission? Let's start having conversations.

Think big. Pool our skills & resources. Collaborate.

Brilliant presentation!

"With every reply I felt something in the pit of my stomach"

Now at #IWOTOT is @TaheraMayat from #CharityHour on Hidden Replies, which uses text message conversation to strike home a powerful message.

Truly ground breaking campaign. Led to increased donations & engagement.

Had strong element of surprise: real story behind apparently happy couple.

SOLACE campaign now focusing on increase in domestic abuse during the pandemic.

"Remember there is a story behind every selfie"

"It put the beneficiary - the homeless person - at the heart of the cause"

Now it's @Mike__Bartlett on The Big Issue. Treats sellers as newsagents without the shop. We're all able to build relationships with our own Big Issue seller.

#IWITOT

The customer gets something back. An award winning publication.

It tackles the cause of homelessness, not just the symptoms.

It's a groundbreaking approach. Social enterprise, crowdfunding, face to face - all before their time.

#IWITOT @Mike__Bartlett

Provides opportunity and hope to over 100,000 people in the UK.

A business, a charity, a social enterprise AND a social investor. There are many different ways to achieve social good. It transformed the homelessness sector in this country forever.

#IWITOT

Now it's @leighjoshuaeco on ... erm ... goats, and ... Zoom?

OK, you have my attention, Joshua.

#IWITOT

Ha ha ha! For a donation to Sweet Farm California, you can get a goat dialed into your zoom call! Or a sheep, pigs, a turkey, llama. Brilliant example of audience-led reactive fundraising.

Saw people's habits change in the pandemic. Surprising and delightful. Nothing to install.

The right product at the right time. Fueled by empathy and creativity. They have found a way to be more relevant than ever before.

How had I missed this? Just brilliant.

"That's why it GETS MY GOAT that I didn't think of it first."

#IWITOT

Now @erins_eats on The Great Cycle Challenge.

Example of a virtual event, but has been so for years. Choose your challenge, get on yr bike.

No barrier to entry. Cause highlighted, not charity. Track yr miles on the app.

Website simple & easy to use.

Great results.

#IWITOT

Fundraisers have built a great community. Lots of collateral available for participants to use even before sign up, like email signatures. Excellent support to turn riders into fundraisers.

Keep message clear & technology simple. Let the cause, not the charity, shine.

#IWITOT

Now it's @SalTejani on using innovation for good, solving problems with 1 good piece of tech. Introducing Kid Power.

1. Malnutrition - developing world problem
2. Obesity - developed world "

Solution - Kids power band, the world's first wearable tech for good item.

#IWITOT

* Earn points through activity.
* Points tracked.
* Every 25 points earned unlocks food packet sponsored by corporate partners.
* Being rolled out to schools across America.
* Has unlocked 15 million packets of therapeutic food!

Brilliant.

@UNICEFUSA @SalTejani #IWITOT

Thanks for the summary @Camalamalamz and Joe! I have voted. Difficult to choose a top one, as they were all so good.

https://fundraisingeverywhere.com/iwitot/ 

Great event as ever, #IWITOT. Fundraising joy. Thank you @LifeAtOpen @SOFIIisHOT @FundEverywhere and all the speakers and hosts.