Fundraising with charity boxes. Basic rules

Charity boxes, collection boxes, coin boxes … DonaBox.

In this article I want to explain some things that we recommend when planning a fundraising campaign with charity boxes.

After 7 years working in the fundraising sector and creating the largest network of collaborators in Spain (over 35000 stores) and in South Florida (over 5500 stores) we have learned some things about increasing the effectiveness of donation boxes.

1. Choosing your charity box and display design

The choice of the charity box is simple and everything depends on the timeframe of your campaign. We’ve always focused on long term campaigns that allow a constant source of funding and relationship with our supporters which is why DonaBox can vary in color, materials are resistant and opens / closes easily. If your organization is planning a short-term campaign with no possibility of renewal, it is best to acquire low quality and very cheap boxes so that your ROI makes sense.

One or two lines of text on a well chosen image

For the display of the charity box it’s important to understand that a picture is worth a thousand words (especially true in fundraising). Even though we have an urge to explain our project and the great need for funds, it is always better to do it in flyers / brochures / triptychs placed next to the charity box and leave the charity box with only one or two lines of text, the logo and a great or amazing image.

Now, what image should we use? A good resource to choose an excellent image is using free tools like Photofeeler.com to see what impact the image has on people at first sight. This Hack is very valuable since the first impression of an image can increase your chances of a successful fundraising campaign.

Need to purchase amazing photos that represent your cause? We recommend pages such as Shutterstock.com to buy and download licensed images at a good price and a very high quality.

When I was designing the DonaBox, I decided to make the display a standard A6 size which allows for a very low printing cost but is large enough to draw attention.

The second hack is to use onlineprinters.com for your printing needs. the quality, speed and price make them the best option when it comes to printing all the materials necessary for your campaign. The prices of this German company are on average 30% cheaper than those offered by local printers.

2. Placement and securing

When we are allowed to place a charity box in a store or office is because we have explained the objective of the organization and the need for funds to one or more people who work there and now we can assume the are involved in our effort. However, the length of the campaigns is usually a month or more, and the preservation, care and attention to our donation box is not always guaranteed.

To avoid charity boxes to be lost, stolen or forgotten in a corner of the store or office we can do certain thing:

1. Place an Adhesive Base and leave the DonaBox secured at the desired location (in front or next to the cash register is always recommended).
2. Use cable ties or nylon line to secure the charity box to the base of the cash register.
3. Call every two or three weeks and ask about the progress of the charity box and if they need anything. This gesture reminds them of the commitment to the organization and is a good way to fix problems quickly and effectively.
4. Pick up the charity box and replace it with an empty one periodically to avoid accumulation of donations and reducing the risk of theft. Do not wait for the charity box to be filled.

3. Waiting time and renewal.

We don’t have an general rule, depending on the location, number of monthly visitors, the socio-economic zone where it’s located and probably the biggest factor, how involved and proactive are the store or office manager and employees.

Examples:

If we correctly place a DonaBox in a bakery, you should not wait more than a month to pick it up. (cash and customers rotation are very high at bakeries).

If we correctly place a DonaBox in a shoe store we can wait two or three months to pick it up.

Each campaign is different and it is not easy to write general rules when planning and executing them. Apply logic and remember it’s always a good idea to do as many A / B testings as possible (Writing another blog post about this).

If you think there is something important missing or if you want a consultation on your specific campaign, reach out to me.

Resources:

https://www.donabox.com/ -> The best donation boxes available.

https://www.onlineprinters.com -> High quality and cheap printing services. Available worldwide.

https://www.shutterstock.com -> High quality photos.

https://www.photofeeler.com -> Image analysis.