Why Your Fundraising is Stuck – and How Some Lego Might Help You.
If your charity is stuck in fundraising stagnation, the solutions aren't another rebrand or yet another crack at innovation – they are hidden in your data.
Today, I want to talk about stagnation.
Over the last year, I’ve spoken to so many fundraisers who share the same frustration:
They’ve invested in engagement products, value exchange ideas, or full-scale rebrands.
They’ve budgeted for growth.
Instead, they’ve ended up disappointed and are usually worse off than before.
Time and again, I’ve seen big investments that promise to break the state of stagnation that holds so many charities back. But when you look at the data, you find they’re actually part of the problem.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
Changing your logo, strapline, or brand colour won’t make donors give more. There’s no evidence it ever has. At best, a rebrand gives you a short-lived spike, fuelled by heavy spend. At worst, it just accelerates the stagnation.
Here’s a chart showing the impact of a recent (award winning) rebrand undertaken in the spring of 2024 that was reported to have boosted growth by 200%…
When we look at the year end 2024 numbers, that income growth (blue) is very hard to see - against a massive increase in expenditure (orange).
I explain more in the video, but what you’re seeing is one of the most consistent patterns in fundraising – effort without the right strategic focus wastes time and money.
The fact is, as we have seen time after time, half of appeal income comes from just 5% of donors.
The other half comes from the remaining 95%.
But it’s the 5% who will give more. They will give more often. They’re more reliable. They’re also the people who’ll leave you the majority of your legacy income. And here’s the exciting part – if you meet their needs properly, they can give even more.
That’s how you beat stagnation. Not with a shinier brand. Not with fads. But by focusing on the donors who already love you – and building the insight, strategy, and creative that unlocks their full potential.
In this video, with a little help from Quint from Jaws, I’ll show you how.