Amnesty Australia recently embarked on an exciting initiative: their first-ever Giving Day. In a landscape where traditional fundraising appeals are increasingly challenged, this innovative approach not only exceeded expectations but also laid the groundwork for future campaigns. We spoke with the team behind the initiative to explore their motivations, successes, and what’s next for this important organisation.
The decision to launch a Giving Day stemmed from a thorough review of Amnesty Australia’s fundraising appeals. The team noticed a concerning trend: shoulder appeals—those campaigns that fall between the end of the financial year and Christmas—were not performing as well as they had in the past. Recognising the need for a fresh approach, the team explored the potential of a Giving Day, ultimately finding that the technology and functionality needed to execute it successfully were within reach.
Raisely offered all these features as a really accessible and easy-to-implement tool that we could use to enhance our Giving Day. We didn't have any of that functionality on our previous provider, so we went out to three different fundraising platform options, and Raisely was a clear choice for us.
We could see very quickly how a Giving Day could happen successfully on Raisely. We expected that the platform might look great but be really hard to actually use, but we were really pleasantly surprised. Raisely was very flexible and the easiest solution to implement.
On their inaugural Giving Day, Amnesty Australia surpassed their fundraising target by an impressive 13%. This success can be attributed to several factors, with the functionality of Raisely playing a pivotal role.
The matched giving feature stood out, allowing donors to see the immediate impact of their contributions. Additionally, the fundraising progress bar motivated supporters by showing how close they were to reaching the target.
Strategically timed communications were also crucial. As they approached their fundraising goal, momentum built rapidly—especially when they were just $10,000 shy of their target. The beauty of the Raisely platform, combined with user-friendly payment options like Google and Apple Pay, led to one of their most successful mobile and SMS campaigns ever. Donors could contribute with a single click, making the process straightforward and engaging.
On the day itself, a mix of channels—social media, SEM, email, and SMS—was employed to keep the community informed. The rapid achievement of their goal meant that the team had to pivot quickly from their planned communications strategy, which had focused on rallying support as they neared their target. They had meticulously planned contingencies for slower traction but hadn’t envisioned a scenario where they would exceed their goal so rapidly.
I don't think our Giving Day would have been as successful if we weren't using Raisely.
Raisely not only enhanced convenience for donors but also allowed Amnesty Australia to convey the significance of their mission more effectively. The reporting features were particularly helpful, and the ability to create pre-built thank-you page re-directs streamlined their communication once they hit their target.
As Amnesty Australia reflects on the success of their first Giving Day, they’re already planning for another one in the future. Donors are eagerly asking when the next giving day will take place. The inaugural Giving Day not only showcased the potential for innovative fundraising strategies but also reaffirmed Amnesty Australia’s unwavering commitment to human rights advocacy.
Amnesty Australia identified a decline in the effectiveness of traditional fundraising appeals, particularly during shoulder periods between the end of the financial year and Christmas. This trend necessitated a fresh approach to maintain donor engagement and increase fundraising success.
The organisation launched its first-ever Giving Day using the Raisely platform, which provided essential tools and features to enhance donor experience and drive contributions.
