This week is our ‘ChangeStar Cash Appeals Week’, in which we are sharing our years of experience and knowledge about successful cash appeals with the charity sector. As part of this week’s activities, our Director, Richard Docwra, has written a special report – ‘How to write target-smashing cash appeals’ which is now available FREE. In this document we … Continued

A couple of weeks ago, we ran a ‘legacies week’ at ChangeStar – the first in a series of specially-themed weeks throughout the year in which we aim to share our knowledge and success on issues that are of real practical interest to fundraisers – from recruitment to donor appeals to converting more cash donors to … Continued

Special blog for ChangeStar Legacies Week: 11-15 July 2016 Legacies are a potentially massive source of funding, but many charities are not doing anywhere near enough to promote them to their supporters properly.  Consequently, your charity could be missing out on millions of pounds of potential income. Our experience at ChangeStar from talking to and … Continued

We’re excited to be running a new event this year – ChangeStar Legacy Week – from 11th – 15th July 2016. During this week, we’ll be sharing our years of experience and knowledge about legacy fundraising with the charity sector. Richard Docwra and the ChangeStar agency team will be: Publishing special legacy-focussed blogs here at www.changestar.co.uk/news Sharing tips for charities … Continued

I was at a meeting recently with a client who is in the initial stages of developing an individual giving programme. During our meeting I reflected on what a positive attitude they had to starting work on this activity, and how it puts them in so much of a better position to succeed than other … Continued

A living legacy A year ago, we published the blog post below about the potential for ‘living legacies’.  We think there are some useful ideas in there, so here it is again…. The Government has made a number of important changes to how people can access their pensions.  Under the new rules, anyone aged over … Continued

We often refer to fundraising as a discipline but many fundraisers don’t seem to realise the importance of this word in their profession. The fact is, good fundraisers need to be disciplined. For example, being prepared to roll out the same pack for years to the same media – just because it’s working. Sticking with … Continued

When I visit charities to discuss their fundraising programmes, I am often surprised at the lack of attention that’s paid (even at some larger organisations) to their legacy activity. Often it’s either non-existent or limited to a couple of modest mentions in the half-yearly newsletter. This may be due to organisations being too focussed on … Continued

Could charities benefit from recent changes to pensions? In April 2015 the Government made a number of important changes to how people can access their pensions.  Under the new rules, anyone aged over 55 now has total freedom over how and when they access their pension – including taking 25% as tax-free cash. There has … Continued