Oxfam overhauls community fundraising strategy
Oxfam is to overhaul its community fundraising strategy in the hope of increasing its appeal to those put off by traditional marketing campaigns.
The charity aims to develop more engaging initiatives, and to this end has developed international event Ride and Seek. It will involve university RAG (Raise and Give) groups to boost fundraising and long-term support.
Students are invited to travel around four European cities completing challenges to raise money for the charity.
Community fundraising products will be a “major focus” for the charity over the next few years and it aims to develop products and events that supporters can engage with whatever their interests or life stage.
Oxfam community products manager Benny Littlejohn says: “We haven’t really invested in community fundraising for the past ten years and have lagged behind our competitors.
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“We are looking for ways to diversify and find new supporters. Community fundraising does more than just raise money, it’s an engagement tool. Because people trust advertising less and less, they are turning to peer recommendation, so community fundraising offers a big opportunity to increase support and get new supporters,” he adds.
As well as Ride and Seek, Oxfam has introduced three other fundraising projects this year: Big Zoom, Water Week and Oxfam Do, targeting mothers with toddlers, school age children and women in their 30s respectively.
Previously Oxfam’s only community fundraising platform was the annual music festival Oxjam which invites people to host music events to raise money for the charity.