Community engagement is on the rise, but how can you gain more local supporters for your cause? Stephen Hammersley of UK Community Foundations has the answers.

Community involvement and fundraising are experiencing a renaissance in the UK. More people than ever are entering into sporting or other activities to raise money for charities and organisations, volunteering is on the rise and awareness weeks for national and local charities fill the calendars. There is clearly an appetite to help others in a community and give something back. For fundraisers, the challenge is in understanding how to harness this wave of enthusiasm and commitment to local giving.

Getting people engaged in their communities

The Shine A Light report from UK Community Foundations, the charitable network that invests funds in local causes, found that people are doing more than ever to help people on their own doorsteps and engage with their communities.

There is a proven consumer interest in supporting local communities, with almost half the UK population saying that they give money to local causes. More than a third see helping others in their community as one of their top three giving priorities, and a tenth state that they have increased the amount they give to local causes in the past two years.

Giving locally is seen by many as a much more effective way to give – its impact is often more visible, measurable and immediate than other types of giving. Facilitating giving that delivers real change in the short, medium and long term is the best way we can respond to donors’ commitment to their community.

As fundraisers, there are a number of things we can do to help harness even greater enthusiasm for local giving. And it comes down to being strategic and targeted in our fundraising.

Communication is key

A key way of harnessing enthusiasm is for local fundraisers to clearly and creatively communicate what is going on, and to keep donors abreast of developments they are involved in.

The first thing to do is invest in a good website or partner, and make use of online charity platforms. Often, this can be achieved on a very small budget. Online giving is only going to grow, so it is worth the investment.

Using social media outlets such as Twitter, Facebook or Vine is now vital in keeping people updated on the work they undertake. People like to know the positive impact their donation can make through video, writing and pictures.

Furthermore, donors want to be able to engage with other donors to see how they can get the most from their giving; could they, for example, work together to get more from their fundraising activity, or could they learn from each other about their expectations? It should be your job to not only facilitate donors’ communications with the charity, but also with each other.

Have candid conversations

As fundraisers, we should seek to discover what our donors’ ambitions are when it comes to giving. Having a candid conversation with a donor from the outset can mean the difference between a one-off donation and the development of a long-term relationship.

Listening to your donors’ needs is crucial. When meeting with donors, ask them how much they think they will be able to give, whether it will be a regular donation and what kind of involvement they would like. Do they want to be kept up to date on the projects they help? Do they want to know what projects their donation supports? Do they want to visit the project and see the impact of their donation?

Talking money is often not easy, but it is important that local fundraisers have a good idea of how much and how regularly someone can give to a cause. It is worth considering that a monthly donation may be far more manageable for you as a fundraiser, as well as less daunting for donors themselves. For example, while a one-off donation of £1,000 is a big ask, donating a smaller sum throughout the year can seem more reasonable and be more viable for many.

As part of this, you should also give donors a specific reason to donate on a regular basis. Showing how different amounts can result in tangible impacts is key, as is showing donors how you are helping to maximise their donation. Fundraisers should consider carefully how they can ensure that their donation goes as far as it can to help local communities - for example, by making donors aware of the tax implications of Gift Aid.

The role of community foundations

Community foundations are experts on local giving, having last year made over 20,000 grants and distributed over £62m to local causes. Research shows that giving through a community foundation is dramatically more effective for donors and more impactful in communities than other standalone options. They can help small, lesser-known community groups to benefit from local giving by connecting donors with the groups best able to tackle issues locally and ensuring that donations reach those most in need. Donors can have a say on how their money is spent, work closely with groups who benefit, and see the results first hand in their local community. Being able to see the impact of donations increases enthusiasm, which in turn makes people more likely to give more over a sustained period of time.

Local philanthropy ticks every box, and it changes the lives of all those involved – including the donor – for the better.

Stephen Hammersley is CEO of UK Community Foundations 

Want more help with community fundraising? Stay tuned for our local giving How To Guide coming up soon!