Statistical data

 

 

Case study with lessons learned

 

Daffodil circle of runners – Hungarian Hospice Foundation

 

Short description:

Hungarian Hospice Foundation has an extensive range of fundraising activities. Most of the activities are involved in the Daffodil awareness raising program.

The Daffodil circle of runners is a peer-to-peer element of the fundraising activities of the foundation. The runners are taking part in bigger running festivals in Budapest and around lake Balaton, where the Foundation usually has a separate tent provided by the organizers to provide a basis for the community.

The number of runners linked to the organisation raised from the few initiatort to 48 in three years, the sum collected has increased in the first two years, but decreased in the third, based on the fact, that members of the circle usually raise funds one time, while remaining members.

 

Start of the circle:

In year 2014, as a spontaneus initiative, program director of Hospice Foundation and some friends runner in a marathon, and initiated to raise funds among their social network by communicating their challenge. By the end of the year altogether 12 people joined to run and fundraise, which was raised to 36 in 2015, and 48 in 2016.

They also involved celebrities, though they rarely raised funds, but their contribution was valuable in other ways – media presence, private donation, etc.

 

Organizational structure, operation:

 The campaign is coordinated by the program director of marketing activities, though this special area was kept by the former program director, who initiated this element, but still linked to the organisation.

Administrative work (website, facebook page) is handled by the volunteer coordinator.

The members of the circle has a common event twice a year, though they do organise common trainings. On the events they share experiences, and having motivational speeches. They also has a dinner at end of the year, where some of the members also take other pledges, e.g. coaching of new members, organisation of cookie-sale at workplace, etc.

The core of the group has created a community, and they take part as organisers already. It is working as almost a self-organised community right now, which proved to be a valuable human contribution, taking into account, that in 2016 there was not enough efforts taken from the side of the organisation due to personal changes.

It is a value, and also a challenge, that the community is working in this way.  It is a question, how they can widen the circle, while keeping the community method of work.

But it is inevitable to grow, as most of members are raising funds for one time, or two times, and not more. They remain members of the circle, are running as members of the circle, and have their personal page on theweb site also. (It is done because of marketing reason, and also it can happen, that donation is received even if direct collection was not made by the person.)

 

Involvement of people, recruitment:

Mainly stakeholders, relatives and their friends take responsibility to be part of the circle, though the foundation has communication actions to recruit runners outside of the aquintants (e.g. flyers in the festivals, Facebook side). But most successful recruitment is done from the side of the present runners, and from other circles –e.g. volunteers - of the foundation.

Potential members of the circle are suggested to check in through the website, where they receive a guideline, what they should do to start their fundraising activities. If there is no action after that, they make connection with the person.

They produce a T-shirt, and a page on the website, where motivation, photo and pledge of the person is placed. There is a personal meeting to talk over, how the process is working. They also give a collection of experiences of former runners – there are many scenarios.

 

Website

There is a dedicated part in their website, where donors can pay directly, and the system handles communication. Though the site was built nowadays, it should be rebuilt again, as it does not link the donations directly with the ambassadors yet.

 

Experiences collected

• The preparatory talks with the ambassador is very much needed, it needs to handle many emotions also besides techniques:

  • there are different scenarios for fundraising of the members, but generally all of the ambassadors presumed more, what was received.

  • Most of the ambassadors are embittered when receiving likes on Facebook without donation.

 

• Half of the members collected over what was pledged

• those who made a bigger than average pledge, usually can collect it.

• average pledge is between 150 – 300 EUR

• 8 members collected over 430 EUR

• those members, who collected once, are usually do not raise funds more, as they do not want to ask their same circle. But they can involve further, new members.

 

Campaign goals and outcomes

Goal is to collect 12 000 EUR, which is the price of maintaining a room/year. This goal was not met yet, as they reached: 2014 5 600 EUR, 2015: 7 050 EUR, 2016: 2 360 EUR

Besides the amount the publicity raised was high and supported other donation programs of the foundation.

Objective towards each members for next year is to recruit new members.

Objective of the organisation – to recruit more people, and operate the circle in an effective way, to maintain a working mechanism, which does not require much human and financial resources.

 

Lessons learned

The structure of the program is reshaped now, as number of runners increased, meanwhile amount raised decreased, as members of the circle who already raised, do not want to approach their social network again with the same purpose. Though they remain members of the community and take other pieces of work, e.g. recruiting and coaching new members.

 

Human resources are key: as the organisation has limited human capacity continously to the program, it was a good decision to involve core members of the community, and let them organize actions around the running festivals.

 

Good care of peers is inevitable: Ambassadors usually had negative feelings, when they realized, that their posts gained many Likes on Facebook , but much less donations.

 

Q&A – major question: what to do, if an organisation wants to use the tool and method described