Face to Face fundraising still matters more than many people realise

There is a growing assumption across parts of the sector that Face to Face fundraising is becoming less important. Digital growth and changing donor behaviour have led some organisations to question whether the channel still has a long-term future. The data tells a different story. In 2024, Face to Face recruitment still accounted for 84% of all new Regular Giving donors across the Australian sector. No other acquisition channel currently comes close to producing the same sca

Fundraising Partners

2 min read

Regular Giving retention has become the most important number in fundraising

For years, Regular Giving conversations focused heavily on acquisition. Teams were measured on volume, agencies were measured on sign-ups and leadership often looked first at cost per acquisition. But the benchmarking data suggests the sector is entering a very different phase. Retention is now the true measure of program strength. Analysis from The Benchmarking Project 2025 shows that retained donors now generate around 88% of all Regular Giving income across participating A

Fundraising Partners

2 min read

Mitigate for Financial and Reputational Risk

There is a moment in face to face fundraising that most charities never properly see. It happens after the sign up. After the conversation on the street, at the shopping centre, outside the station. The donor has said yes. Details have been taken. The fundraiser moves on. Then comes the verification call. On paper, it is a safeguard. A compliance step. A quick check that the donor understands what they have agreed to. In reality, it is one of the most revealing points in the

Fundraising Partners

4 min read

Why you should be Mystery Shopping your face to face fundraising campaign?

Face to face fundraising (F2F) remains one of the most powerful ways charities bring new supporters into their cause. A good conversation between a fundraiser and a member of the public can create a genuine connection that leads to years of support. But the reality is simple. Many charities do not actually know what is being said in those conversations. Reports will tell you how many donors were signed up. Agencies will tell you how the campaign performed. Dashboards will sho

Fundraising Partners

3 min read

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Face to Face fundraising still matters more than many people realise

Fundraising Partners
Jun 16
2 min read

The data tells a different story.

In 2024, Face to Face recruitment still accounted for 84% of all new Regular Giving donors across the Australian sector. No other acquisition channel currently comes close to producing the same scale of volume.

That does not mean the channel is without challenges. Rising costs, longer breakeven periods and increasing compliance expectations are all placing pressure on fundraising teams. The 2026 Benchmarking Project analysis showed that breakeven periods for Face to Face acquisition have extended significantly over the past decade.

But this does not necessarily mean the channel is weakening. In many ways, it simply means charities need to become more sophisticated in how they manage the supporter journey after acquisition – and ensure they are bringing in stickier donors.

The strongest organisations no longer treat Face to Face as a standalone recruitment exercise. They view it as the beginning of a multi-year relationship. Verification quality, onboarding, supporter care and declines management all now play a critical role in determining whether a donor becomes financially valuable long-term.

That shift matters because the economics of fundraising have changed. A donor recruited today may take longer to become profitable, but they can still deliver extraordinary value over time if properly stewarded.

Face to Face fundraising remains one of the most powerful acquisition channels available to charities. The organisations seeing the best results are simply adapting their expectations and investing more heavily in what happens after the sign up occurs.