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Individual Donors

How strong is your individual donors practice? This short, evidence-based self-assessment scores your organisation against fundraising standards, shows where your biggest gaps are, and puts the most useful fixes first.
It takes about 15 minutes. Every question is optional, and the more you can share, especially real numbers and documents, the more accurate your result.

How does your fundraising creative (emails, mailings, social posts) adapt to different generations among your donors?

How does your fundraising creative (emails, mailings, social posts) adapt to different generations among your donors?
A
B
C
D
E

When approaching donors from cultural or ethnic communities different from your team's, what do you do?

When approaching donors from cultural or ethnic communities different from your team's, what do you do?
A
B
C
D
E

Does your NGO have a planned solicitation calendar, i.e. a documented schedule of when and how you'll ask donors for support across the year?

Does your NGO have a planned solicitation calendar, i.e. a documented schedule of when and how you'll ask donors for support across the year?
A
B
C
D
E

Of the five donor utility types above, how many does your fundraising actively engage?

Of the five donor utility types above, how many does your fundraising actively engage?
A
B
C
D
E

Are your organisation's values publicly articulated AND visibly used in your donor communications?

Are your organisation's values publicly articulated AND visibly used in your donor communications?
A
B
C
D
E

Do you offer in-memoriam / tribute giving (a way to donate in memory of a friend or loved one)?

Do you offer in-memoriam / tribute giving (a way to donate in memory of a friend or loved one)?
A
B
C
D
E

How would you describe the dominant tone of your stewardship communications?

How would you describe the dominant tone of your stewardship communications?
A
B
C
D
E

In your appeals, which framing dominates?

In your appeals, which framing dominates?
A
B
C
D
E
F

How do you decide how intense (distressing vs gentle) your imagery should be?

How do you decide how intense (distressing vs gentle) your imagery should be?
A
B
C
D
E

When you brief a new campaign, do you identify a specific target emotion (e.g. sympathy, anger, joy, hope) you want the appeal to evoke?

When you brief a new campaign, do you identify a specific target emotion (e.g. sympathy, anger, joy, hope) you want the appeal to evoke?
A
B
C
D
E

Do your appeals show what specific amounts of money achieve (e.g. '€20 buys X', '€100 funds Y')?

Do your appeals show what specific amounts of money achieve (e.g. '€20 buys X', '€100 funds Y')?
A
B
C
D
E

After someone donates, do they receive feedback showing the impact their gift had?

After someone donates, do they receive feedback showing the impact their gift had?
A
B
C
D
E

When telling beneficiary stories in appeals, what's the dominant pattern?

When telling beneficiary stories in appeals, what's the dominant pattern?
A
B
C
D
E

If a donor receives mail from five charities, how would yours visibly stand out?

If a donor receives mail from five charities, how would yours visibly stand out?
A
B
C
D
E

Do your appeals lead with a single strong dominant image?

Do your appeals lead with a single strong dominant image?
A
B
C
D
E

Where does your strongest argument typically appear in fundraising copy?

Where does your strongest argument typically appear in fundraising copy?
A
B
C
D
E

Do you have a brand strapline / tagline that's used consistently across channels (e.g. 'Together we can beat cancer')?

Do you have a brand strapline / tagline that's used consistently across channels (e.g. 'Together we can beat cancer')?
A
B
C
D
E

How often is the creative refreshed for donors who've been with you for years?

How often is the creative refreshed for donors who've been with you for years?
A
B
C
D
E

Do your appeals routinely include a beneficiary image (versus text-only)?

Do your appeals routinely include a beneficiary image (versus text-only)?
A
B
C

How are beneficiaries typically portrayed in your imagery?

How are beneficiaries typically portrayed in your imagery?
A
B
C
D
E

Do you screen your creative to make sure beneficiaries aren't portrayed in ways that could imply blame for their situation?

Do you screen your creative to make sure beneficiaries aren't portrayed in ways that could imply blame for their situation?
A
B
C
D
E

Before running campaigns that depict beneficiary communities, do you consult with those communities?

Before running campaigns that depict beneficiary communities, do you consult with those communities?
A
B
C
D
E

Do your core appeals rely on guilt or pity?

Do your core appeals rely on guilt or pity?
A
B
C
D
E

Who signs your major appeals?

Who signs your major appeals?
A
B
C
D
E

Beyond cost-to-impact ladders, do your appeals clearly link the donor's gift to a tangible, achievable outcome (value × expectancy)?

Beyond cost-to-impact ladders, do your appeals clearly link the donor's gift to a tangible, achievable outcome (value × expectancy)?
A
B
C
D
E

When a donor gives, what do they receive as a thank-you?

When a donor gives, what do they receive as a thank-you?
A
B
C
D
E

How does recognition differ across gift sizes?

How does recognition differ across gift sizes?
A
B
C
D
E

When you migrate donors between channels or payment methods (e.g. check → card, mail → email), how do you target it?

When you migrate donors between channels or payment methods (e.g. check → card, mail → email), how do you target it?
A
B
C
D
E

How are ask amounts decided for different donors?

How are ask amounts decided for different donors?
A
B
C
D
E

How do you communicate how funds are used?

How do you communicate how funds are used?
A
B
C
D
E

Do you have a documented contact-frequency policy and let donors choose how often you contact them?

Do you have a documented contact-frequency policy and let donors choose how often you contact them?
A
B
C
D
E

Before adopting a fundraising tactic from research/conference/article, do you assess whether the original study fits your audience?

Before adopting a fundraising tactic from research/conference/article, do you assess whether the original study fits your audience?
A
B
C
D
E

Suggested uploads

These are optional. If you can share a few, we can check your answers against real evidence and give you a sharper, more useful result:

• Donor database segmentation fields (age, generation, ethnicity if collected)
• At least two distinct creative variants from recent campaigns
• Prospecting/audience-targeting brief or strategy document
• Evidence of community consultation in campaign approval (if relevant)
• Annual fundraising plan or campaign calendar
• Solicitation activity logs (mailings, calls, events)
• Giving page / donation product list
• Organisational values statement and where it appears in fundraising materials
• Membership/benefit programme description if relevant
• Recognition tiers and stewardship matrix
• Supporter journey map or stewardship plan
• Sample stewardship communications (welcome series, impact updates)
• Donor retention rate
• Sample appeal copy and imagery from at least three recent campaigns
• Opt-out / complaint logs
• Any A/B test summaries
• Creative brief template or sample briefs
• Gift→impact ladder used in appeals
• Sample impact report sent to donors
• Sample appeal imagery from recent campaigns
• Creative brief template
• Examples of recent appeals across channels
• Readability/style guide if any
• Annual report / website transparency content
• Brand guidelines / positioning document
• Creative refresh cycle documentation
• Examples of rapid-response campaigns (if any)
• Sample imagery from recent campaigns
• Editorial/creative review checklist if any
• Style guide for beneficiary representation
• Beneficiary representation policy (if any)
• Records of community consultation in recent campaigns
• Sample appeals to audit for guilt/pity content
• Any CCF or equity framework adoption
• Sample appeal copy showing signature and qualifications
• Examples of past-achievement references
• Sample appeal copy and donor journey
• Any donor goals/segmentation research
• Donor experience design or stewardship plan
• Thank-you templates (per gift band)
• Stewardship matrix / donor care policy
• Donor satisfaction survey instrument and results (if any)
• Renewal/migration strategy
• Donor tenure distribution and channel mix
• Ask ladder by segment
• Sample appeal copy for recurring giving
• A/B testing summaries if any
• Latest annual report / financials (publicly visible)
• Impact reports
• Complaint and unsubscribe logs
• Communication preference centre / policy
• Internal training materials or evidence-review notes if any
• Mix of positive and negative messaging across recent retention communications

Upload any of these documents (optional). You can add several files.

A little context

Over the last 3 years, is your work in this area getting better, staying the same, or getting worse?

Over the last 3 years, is your work in this area getting better, staying the same, or getting worse?
A
B
C
D

Where do you keep the relevant records?

Where do you keep the relevant records?
A
B
C
D
E

Anything outside your control that recently affected this area? For example a crisis, a funder leaving, or a sector shock.

This is a demo of the tool. If you have any feedback on it, we would appreciate hearing it.