February 16, 2011 | Read Time: 1 minute
Getting an online advocacy campaign out to the public quickly is much more important than spending time to get the wording just right.
That’s one lesson in a new research paper about how fund raisers can do a better job of winning donations as part of their advocacy efforts.
The paper cites research showing the close connection between advocacy and fund raising: People who have signed a petition or contacted an elected official are seven times more likely to donate to a cause than those who have not, studies show.
The paper was co-written by fund-raising experts at the human-rights charity Amnesty International, the software company Blackbaud, and the advocacy consulting company M+R Strategic Services.
The authors provide several examples of successful efforts, including an online campaign by the group Equality California, which raised money and attention for a campaign in 2008 to push for gay marriage.
The campaign’s Web site encouraged couples to sign its online “Gift Registry” in honor of an anniversary, wedding, or other occasion, post their personal stories, and ask their friends and relatives to donate to the fight to allow same-sex couples to marry instead of buying them a gift.
Because of the campaign’s timely message, which was pegged to a forthcoming election, more than 1,700 couples signed the online registry. Gifts made in response to the couples’ appeals to friends and family members reached more than $1-million online.
Another lesson, the paper says, is to remember to follow up with advocates.
“Too often, organizations forget to report back and tell advocates the results of their actions,” the authors write. “Even if results are mixed, thank activists for their support and tell them how their efforts moved the cause forward.”
