A renowned German research institute in the field of nutritional sciences had previously financed itself exclusively through contract research. The institute was unable to pursue its own research ideas due to a lack of funding for studies. Funding from donations amounting to an annual six-figure sum was intended to solve this problem. However, the institute had never done any fundraising before. The director of the institute therefore commissioned the experienced marketing and fundraising expert as interim manager to develop a fundraising strategy.
Resources and target groups for fundraising examined and identified
The interim manager first examined the framework within which fundraising could be carried out at the institute in future. The institute had neither the human resources nor the funds to set up a fundraising department. Fundraising therefore had to be set up step by step, efficiently and in a very focused manner.
The interim manager examined the institute's options and opportunities in public fundraising and individual fundraising. Efficient public fundraising targets small private donors with direct mailings and social media campaigns, among other things. However, the Institute's address base was still too small for this. The newsletter had too few subscribers and the social media channels did not have enough visitors to reach the planned donation amount in this way.
The situation was completely different in Individual Fundraising, whose target group is large donors and companies. This target group is addressed and supported individually. The management and employees of the institute had a large network of contacts who were interested in their research. The manager recommended focusing on these target groups and acquiring major donors in the institute's network.
Communication strategy and arguments for fundraising developed
The interim manager then worked with the teams to develop the most important arguments to convince donors of the institute's research work. For example, the institute closes research gaps in the field of nutrition and makes new findings available to the public. The quality of previous research projects and the good reputation of the researchers were also good arguments for potential supporters. The manager drew up an annual plan. She calculated how many new donors needed to be acquired in order to reach the desired donation amount.
Guide for professional fundraising discussions developed and trained
During the discussions about donation planning, the interim manager discovered that the institute's employees were afraid to approach their networks with active donation requests. They seemed uncomfortable asking for donations. The manager was aware that this attitude could not be successful. She therefore wrote a guide on how to successfully approach potential major donors and professional tips on how to conduct fundraising discussions with a good chance of success.
She also took away the employees' skepticism when it came to donations. For example, she made it clear that a third of Germans donate regularly - and are happy to do so. Ultimately, the interim manager was able to dispel the concerns. The initial reactions from companies to requests for donations were already very positive.
Appeals for donations made part of regular communication
In order to support the request from network contacts and create a broader basis for donation campaigns in future, the interim manager supplemented the communication concept. She created the opportunity to support research with donations in all of the institute's communication channels. The monthly newsletter, for example, now always contains an appeal for donations. The first appeal for donations in the newsletter already resulted in deposits being made to the donation account.
Fundraising software evaluated and GDPR-compliant data protection ensured
The manager evaluated affordable fundraising software to record and process the data of all newly acquired donors. She also distributed important operational tasks in fundraising. These included, for example, thanking donors for their donations and regularly checking incoming donations in the donation account. She also trained employees on how to handle personalized data (in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation, GDPR).
Annual plan with fundraising activities drawn up and support provided during implementation
To ensure that the target donation amount is not lost sight of over the course of the year, the manager also drew up an annual plan with all fundraising activities and their contribution to success. The interim manager continues to support the research institute in implementing the fundraising activities even after the end of the interim mandate. She is still available to answer any questions.
