Mahmood Hassan Chairman, Islamic Aid Building support - direct mail fundraising.
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Transcript of Mahmood Hassan Chairman, Islamic Aid Building support - direct mail fundraising.
Mahmood Hassan
Chairman, Islamic Aid
Building support -
direct mail fundraising
“Whoever saved a life it would as if he save all of humanity”
Qur’an
Building support - direct mail fundraising
The story of Islamic Aid:
• Background; how things started?
• Where are we today?
• What we do and how we do it?
• What made it a success?
• Can lessons be applied elsewhere?
My primary school; as it is today
Islamic Aid - background
• Came to the UK in 1988 for MBA
• Worked in the commercial sector
• Interest in charities in the aftermath of the Bosnian crisis in 1994
• Started my own business in 1998
• Introduced Islamic Aid in 2000
• 11th Sep 2001 - a business disaster for me but more focus on Islamic Aid
Islamic Aid- mission
Islamic Aid seeks to make immediate and lasting improvements to the lives of people affected by poverty, war and
disaster
Islamic Aid - our work
Tahira’s family: A case study
• Family surviving on £6 per month
• Living a life of extreme hardship
• Cash help to meet immediate needs
• Joined Ujala School in her village
• Introduced to livelihoods programme
• Introduced to healthcare programme
Tahira is now at high school, hoping to one day become a teacher at Ujala School
Islamic Aid - figures
• Raised £14 million to-date
• Recruited 55,000 donors
• Last year raised nearly £3 million
• In the first 8 months of current financial year, 22% more than last year
• In the UK, employs 1 part-time staff; with temps during fundraising peaks
Islamic Aid - fundraising strategy
• Direct mail only; control temptations
• Extensive use of the database of 1.2 million UK Muslims
• Ramadan mailing - main cold and warm mailing - targets almost all households
• Then, four mailings to donors only - education, healthcare, livelihoods and emergency relief
Islamic Aid - fundraising strategy
• Very focused
• Excellent information management
• Targeted yet mass market approach
• Long copy cold mail appeals
• Creativity
• Template approach for material
• Analysis, evaluation of list and appeals
• 66% Gift Aid donations; target is 70%
Islamic Aid - fundraising strategy
• Very efficient donations handling
• Follow up ‘thank-you’ within 3 days
• Very warm and personal approach
• 24 hours donor support line
• No use of complimentary slips
• 92 per cent of donations traced to source campaign, appeal etc
Islamic Aid - fundraising
Most successful fundraising appeal– Ramadan Appeal 2008
• Mailing to 483,000 warm/cold contacts• Fundraising appeal total £1.1 million• Received 12,500 donations• Recruited 4,200 new donors• 485 donors signed up to give regularly
through direct debit; £58,000 per year.
Islamic Aid - future plans
• Further improving the quality of everything we do
• Organisational development
• Channel diversification - internet etc
• Geographic diversification - US...
• Case of Practical Action
• Different audience, message, size of charity and relationship (trustee)
• Focus, impact of materials, clear and targeted messaging
• Networking
• Lesson learning
Can lessons be applied elsewhere?
“When a man dies his actions come to an end except for three: an ongoing
charity; knowledge that benefits others or pious offspring who pray for him”.
The Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him)