Heart Research Institute

Problem

The Heart Research Institute (HRI) faced a formidable challenge in their fundraising efforts, grappling with stagnant donor engagement, declining retention rates, and the pressing need to meet budgetary goals. The organisation, once famed for its face-to-face fundraising pedigree found itself at a critical point - striving to maintain fundraising stability without an experienced Face-to-Face Fundraising manager in the building.

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Solution

The solution identified was to bring in a person or team who could manage multiple agencies to produce a new level of performance and stabilise the Regular Giving channel. But in a recruitment climate it would be impossible to find someone with all the necessary experiences. 

 

What we did

Fundraising Partners were invited to collaborate closely with HRI to train, coach and mentor their new Face-to-Face Manager. Giving him the tools and confidence to make decisions based on our unparalleled sector knowledge and backed with real data. 

The new manager, Joe, came with an impressive fundraising resume from his time working with and running agencies, but had no exposure to ‘charity-side'.

An initial intense training period followed by monthly catchups helped Joe cross the divide between agency and charity management and achieve previously unheard-of results at HRI.
 

"Adam and the Fundraising partners have been such an asset during my time at HRI, allowing me to bounce ideas off them whilst providing a depth of industry knowledge that would be difficult to find anywhere else." Joe Letchford.

 

Results

The collaborative efforts between HRI and Fundraising Partners yielded impressive results. Joe and the HRI team, equipped with new strategies and insights, achieved the best Year 1 retention rates seen in years with up to 7% better than 2020-2022 figures. Notably, the organisation experienced a lower-than-anticipated spending at -7% and 10% higher acquisition volumes than budgeted.

This success not only secures HRI's stability but also empowered them to continue their vital cardiovascular research with renewed vigour and confidence. Furthermore, Joe’s responsibilities grew from just F2F management to also include Lotteries, Major Donors, and Digital fundraising.