Top fundraising trends for 2022

If you’re a fundraiser, you’ve always got to stay on your toes! 

This year’s exciting campaign idea might be old news in 12 months’ time. Or what you thought was a passing fad could turn out to be here to stay.

Charity Digital have picked their top trends in fundraising for 2022, and we’ve added a few ideas of our own. Do you think we’re backing the right horse, or are we barking up the wrong tree? Let us know your thoughts on these fundraising trends for 2022!

1. Hybrid events

We’re pretty confident about this prediction. Many people love the togetherness and excitement of a live fundraising event – but others prefer the convenience and inclusivity of an online one. Putting the two together can be a headache for organisers, but worth it for audiences, who get to choose what works for them. 

A word of warning, though: these days, virtual audiences are expecting more than just live-streaming. You need to think about how to make their experience exciting and participatory. 

2. Year-round campaigns

This one’s related to the above. People want not only to choose how they participate in an event, but also when.  

As a result, campaigns are becoming more flexible time-wise. Busy in September? Then take part in Macmillan’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning at a time that suits. 

3. Automation/ Artificial Intelligence (AI)

If AI still sounds to you like something from the far-distant future, you’ll have a shock in 2022. It’s here in a big way. 

Behind the scenes, AI can analyse your customer data so you can better target your fundraising campaigns. But fundraisers are known for their creativity, and many charities are using the tech in exciting ways. 

Take chatbots. Versus Arthritis’ chatbot answers questions about the condition, and uses machine learning to improve its answers over time. Mencap has programmed one to converse with visitors in the words of Aeren, a young woman with a learning disability, in its ‘Understand Me’ campaign. 

While neither are directly fundraising bots, they bolster the overall marketing mix in a very powerful way. How could you use a chatbot for your charity?

4. Social media

So you’re on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. But what about TikTok? Discord? Snapchat?

You might despair at how many platforms there are – but the answer is simple: choose the ones that work for you. If reaching teenagers is not a priority for your charity, then that’s a whole range of social media you can happily ignore! 

Do your research, get creative, and have (carefully curated) fun!

5. Gaming for good

If your own teenager seems permanently plugged into a virtual gaming world, you might despair at their lack of engagement with the real one. That’s where gaming for good is great news. 

Gamers can simply live stream their games, usually on Twitch, while adding a ‘donate’ button for viewers. Mind’s #StreamforMind campaign is just one great example that we think other charities should be following with interest!

6. Inclusivity and transparency

One good thing came out of the pandemic: trust in charities rose. But generally, people today are more likely to ask searching questions about brands and their values and practices – and that includes charities. 

So you need to ensure your fundraising is inclusive, authentic, accountable, and transparent. Tell donors who you are, what you stand for, who you support, and how you spend their money. 

7. Digital donations

When it comes to charity fundraising trends in 2022, nothing is going to make a bigger impact than alternative currencies and payment methods. Blockchain, cryptocurrencies, text-to-donate, tap-to-donate, QR codes… Fundraising is fast becoming a technophobe’s nightmare!

But if you’re missing the good old days of rattling collecting tins, don’t worry. At Connect Assist, our tech people love all this stuff, and would be delighted to help you embrace digital in 2022 and beyond. So give us a call or drop us a line today to learn more about call centre services and more