FROM WALLACE & GROMIT TO GRAFFITI ON OAK, VIA IMPACT INVESTMENT

Melanie May: The Grand Appeal’s 2018 Gromit trail goes contactless
Published by UK Fundraising
First up, something local to Lime Green HQ - The Grand Appeal have just launched their third ever 'sculpture trail', featuring over 60 giant Wallace & Gromit sculptures designed by local artists in iconic spots around Bristol, all to raise money for Bristol Children's Hospital. This is fundraising innovation at its best - featuring its own app, contactless donation points on the sculptures, and corporate tie-ins with Rolls-Royce and the University of Bristol. This ticks many of our favourite fundraising boxes - it provides donors with a unique experience, makes excellent use of technology, and makes donating as convenient as possible.

Sarah Gate: Where should I start with charity social media?
Published by JustGiving
It's that age-old dilemma for charities with limited resources - how to unlock the potential of engaging supporters on social media, without drowning in the potentially endless list of things to do and platforms to use? We love this overview, which covers topics such as which platforms to use, how to maximise charity hashtags, how often to post, and how to deal with negative comments.

​Richard Sved: Graffiti on oak – when a fundraising idea catches fire!
Published by 3rd Sector Mission Control
Here's the latest offering from one of our all-time favourite bloggers Richard Sved, about a £400,000 fundraising campaign to restore the St Albans Museum & Gallery. This features an 'honours board' with a twist, with over 1,400 people donating £250 each to have their names carved graffiti-style into restored oak panels. If the Wallace & Gromit trail is all about innovation and technology, this is a fundraising campaign built on more traditional ingredients for success: relevance, beauty, permanence, emotional storytelling and listening to your supporters.

​Emma Beeston: Is philanthropy safe from impact investment?
Published by Emma Beeston Consultancy
How much do you know about the rising trend of impact investment, where donors choose to invest in social good projects with the expectation of achieving a measurable social return and a financial return? Is this a welcome development for charities, or are wealthy people increasingly turning to impact investment instead of donations, grants and philanthropy? What type of causes are a good fit for the investment model? Click above for answers to all these questions and more.

​Charles Orton-Jones: Why choose a smaller charity?
Published by Raconteur.net
Corporate fundraising can often feel impossibly tough for smaller charities. The 'big boys' seem to have it all sown up, with the top 1,000 charities soaking up 89% of all corporate donations in the UK. But are things changing? Smaller charities can help companies to have more local and visible impact, and offer more benefits to companies than you might imagine. With news of a new partnership between Deutsche Bank and Autistica, and a Southampton cardiac charity that engaged companies by offering their staff free health checks, here are some all-new tips for punching above your weight with corporate fundraising...