Pareto Fundraising’s work with the Australian Conservation Foundation
How the Australian Conservation Foundation was able to double its climate change efforts
Background:
For this appeal, the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) set a big target for a big issue: Climate Change.
The end of year appeal is a well-established feature of ACF’s annual fundraising programme. Traditionally, it comprises a direct mail donation request that is followed up shortly after by a reminder mailing.
The second wave mailing, which for ACF is normally a newsletter, was amended to be a reminder to those that had not responded to the first request. The newsletter was changed from just a general update to an appeal that described the need in such a way that would compel donors to give.
Campaign Material:
Why did it work?
All pack components were created to be as authentic as possible in the expectation that, because of their relevance and quality, they would stand out to the recipient. The pack provided the donor with an urgent, detailed and well-explained ask for support via a highly personalised letter supported by several interesting enclosures.- At different stages of the campaign, various communications supporting the importance of this request were also sent to donors. These included two emails, one of which contained a video message, asking the supporter to look out for an important letter that was coming their way. The main direct mail pack and the second follow-up mailing reminded non-responders to send their donation.
- Both mailings contained a strong proposition and direct call to action: Your support today will save the lives of our children and grandchildren by giving ACF the power to take actions that will stop dangerous climate change. It linked a potentially difficult and intangible proposition with the human effects of climate change.
ACF quadrupled the income level from its end of year appeal mailing and significantly increased its ROI, as compared to the previous year.
What impact did this appeal have on ACF’s work?
These mailings allowed ACF to double its climate change campaigning efforts, including more work to influence governments, businesses and the general public. This is a truly excellent result for fundraising direct mail.- The mailing provided ACF supporters with high-quality educational information on climate change and the likely consequences if action wasn’t taken immediately. This was explained throughout the letter text and illustrated visually through the use of a map of Australia, highlighting the likely impact on humans and other species.
- ACF used involvement devices the initial report and the follow-up newsletter as advocacy tools to improve response and allow supporters to engage in a personal campaigning action. With this appeal ACF reactivated and renewed the support of many of their lapsing, lapsed and dormant donors.
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Photos courtesy Ivan Carter, Julian Bentley, Adam Majcher and the Australian Conservation Foundation
About the Australian Conservation Foundation:
The Australian Conservation Foundation works to create a healthy environment for all Australians. For over 40 years ACF has been a strong voice for the environment, promoting solutions through research, consultation, education and partnerships. ACF works with the community, business and government to protect, restore and sustain the Australian environment.
“For our 2006 Christmas Appeal we took a more data-driven approach, using the history of people’s donation patterns and what they’d given to before. This is the sort of analysis Pareto Fundraising helps us with, and it turned out to be an absolutely critical aspect of this appeal’s success.
The tone of the letter was also different. Climate change was a hot issue in the media and was generating a lot of interest, and I think we tapped into that well.
We also prepared our donors well by sending an email beforehand, letting them know to expect something specifically on this issue.
The response from the donors has been overwhelming. Not just financially, but also in terms of engaging donors. We had an unusually high number of people writing to us, wanting to know whether we had reached our target, expressing their views, wanting to contribute to thinking around the campaign, reflecting on their own support of ACF over many years, and thanking us for our work.
The fundraising team relished the new ideas and energy Pareto Fundraising brought to the table. They certainly challenged some of our conventional approaches to our appeals, and found that to be a real positive impact on the team here.
In fact the appeal generated a lot more interest across the organisation in how we engage supporters and do our appeals. We’re all excited by the results and what the extra income will enable us to do over the coming year.
The extra money gives us the confidence to start the year with a significant investment in the most critical and all-consuming environmental issue facing Australia today climate change.”
Jock Beveridge, Marketing Manager, Australian Conservation Foundation
