State-of-theindustry report finds digital is the key to success
Rescue centre offers a lifeline to injured wildlife
[THE STATE OF CHARITY FUNDRAISING in the UK was
analysed in depth by a survey carried out by Blackbaud Europe – the leading IT provider for the not-for-profit sector and the force behind the JustGiving platform. Blackbaud surveyed over 1,170 fundraising professionals to understand how the UK’s not-for-profit sector adapted its fundraising practices during the pandemic and beyond. The resulting eBook allows charities to gain a comprehensive view on how their response to COVID-19 compares to the sector, and measure their organisation across topics such as supporters, income and digital transformation. The eBook reports on how many organisations exceeded their fundraising targets despite the effect of the pandemic. The underlying current of the report is to analyse why it is important that charitable organisations are digitally mature in 2021 and beyond, and how digital transformation can directly lead to an increase in supporters. The research shows that, while 79% of non-profits believe it’s important to develop what it terms digital maturity, the sector as a whole only rates itself as ‘5 out of 10 for digital maturity’ and only 12% of non-profits describe themselves as digitally mature – termed Digital Experts. Those Digital Experts show the most confidence in their organisation’s prospects, with 70% believing their organisation will thrive, 71% believing they will meet their fundraising targets and a huge 88% believing they will reach new audiences. Ioan Marc Jones of Charity Digital wrote: “Digitally mature organisations are the most successful. That’s been obvious for quite a long time, with the phrase ‘digital transformation’ spoken across the charity sector for years. And now the latest research at Blackbaud Europe has demonstrated a clear link between charity success and digital maturity.” In terms of income, while 40% of non-profits reported a decrease in income, half succeeded in meeting or even exceeding their fundraising target for the year. The pandemic was seen as instrumental for both success and failure: of those who saw a decrease in income, 81% said it was due to the pandemic, while among those who saw an increase in income, 75% attributed it to the pandemic. In the Foreword to the eBook, Pascale Harvie, president and general manager of Blackbaud Europe, wrote: “Digitally mature organisations have strategies and integrated technology to help them work better and do more. Not only that, but they have made digital work for them and enhance what they already do: digital transformation works the best when it complements your mission and the personal relationships you have already worked so hard to create. Data can help you understand who your supporters are, so you can form a picture of their wants and needs and enhance their stewardship journey.” Download the eBook at www.blackbaud.co.uk/industryinsights/resources. q
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HESSILHEAD WILDLIFE RESCUE TRUST is situated near Beith, in North Ayrshire. It was set up as a charity in 1986, although its founders Andy and Gay had been caring for injured and orphaned wildlife since 1970, when they rescued a fox cub from a gamekeeper and his dogs. As the number of casualties increased year on year, Andy and Gay needed financial and practical help. Once the trust was set up, new aviaries and enclosures were built. A membership scheme proved popular and many volunteers were recruited. The centre now occupies a 20-acre site, including woodland, marsh and open water. That gives a variety of release sites for its patients. Approximately 3,500 wildlife casualties are now treated each year, with the aim of returning them to the wild. Among the many hedgehogs, foxes and familiar garden birds there are deer, otters, badgers and seals. All have been rescued and are rehabilitated. In addition, swans are treated regularly, along with buzzards, peregrines, herons and sea birds. The centre operates a 24-hour rescue service and there are more than 60 enclosures and aviaries, a hedgehog hospital, a seal/swan unit and intensive care facility. It also offers training courses on the handling, care and treatment of wildlife casualties. Spring and summer are especially busy, with hundreds of nestling birds being hand reared. Care is taken to rear all youngsters with minimum human contact. That prevents wild birds and mammals becoming too used to people, so giving them a good chance of survival in the wild. Hessilhead is primarily a voluntary organisation. Its volunteers help in many ways: fundraising, building and maintenance, driving patients to the centre and daily cleaning and feeding. q
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