F2F fundraising resumes in Norway yielding better public response than pre-Covid daysF2F fundraising resumes in Norway yielding better public response than pre-Covid daysF2F fundraising resumes in Norway yielding better public response than pre-Covid daysF2F fundraising resumes in Norway yielding better public response than pre-Covid days
  • About us
  • Membership
  • EFA Certification
  • Fundraising Europe
  • News
  • Events
  • Resources
  • About us
  • Membership
  • EFA Certification
  • Fundraising Europe
  • News
  • Events
  • Resources
first aid masks
Romanian NGOs rally to hospitals’ aid during Covid-19 pandemic
June 3, 2020
ECNL handbook cover
Handbook launches to help CSOs use EU law to protect civic space
June 11, 2020

F2F fundraising resumes in Norway yielding better public response than pre-Covid days

June 3, 2020
Categories
  • News
  • Norway
Tags
  • Coronavirus
  • F2F
  • Public fundraising
Norwegian houses

New face-to-face (F2F) fundraising standards in Norway have been widely welcomed after field trials with over 2,000 members of the public produced higher sign-up rates than before the pandemic set in. The trials also indicate changes in people’s preferences for F2F interactions with charities and NGOs.
 
F2F fundraising is one of the largest sources of voluntary income for non-profit organisations in Norway. Due to the spread of Covid-19, the sector opted to close down all F2F activity in March 2020 and appointed a working group to plan for the safe return of the channel.
 
With a mandate from Norwegian Fundraising Association (Norges Innsamlingsråd), the committee included representatives from Unicef, Doctors without Borders, the Norwegian Red Cross, the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation and the Norwegian Blind Federation. Together, they developed and trialled new fundraising guidelines, asking other charities to refrain from any F2F activity during that period.
 
Development of new guidelines
The new guidelines highlight the importance not only of maintaining physical distance from one another, ensuring good hygiene, regularly cleaning iPads and other equipment, and following infection control guidelines, but of training fundraisers in how to manage and uphold distancing requirements. Conversations are limited to a maximum of 15 minutes.
 

Karl Rohde-Naess

Karl Rohde-Naess, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation

Karl Rohde-Næss, marketing manager at the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation and chair of the working committee, says:
“For face-to-face to be a success, it’s critical that the public is safe and feels safe. And the same applies to fundraisers too. So, this meant waiting for the right time to relaunch face-to-face and rethinking the way we do it.
 
“We waited until hairdressers were open again, on the assumption that if people were happy to get close enough for a haircut, then they would be more likely to feel comfortable about talking with fundraisers. Most fundraisers didn’t wear face masks or shields as there was no directive from the Government on this and we had worries that knocking on people’s door with a face covering could feel intimidating for the public, but many wear muffs that can be worn around the neck and pulled up when needed.
 
“One of the biggest challenges is for fundraisers to learn to keep their distance. Prospective supporters often step forward during the conversation into the ‘no-go zone’ and it can be difficult for fundraisers, who are used to working hard to engage the public in conversation, to discourage them. That’s where specific practice and training has been so important, helping them know how to handle it and what to say.”
 


Findings from the F2F trials
During the trials, which were conducted this May, one in every 8 conversations recruited a supporter, compared with one in 10 in 2019. Fundraisers reported that interactions in shopping centres and stands on the street were more likely to be positive than conversations held on the doorstep (79% vs 58%). While 12% of the public proactively commented on how good it was to see fundraisers back in action, only 3% made a negative remark.
 
While door-to-door fundraising had a higher sign-up rate ahead of the pandemic, now it is fundraising stands that are yielding stronger results. The tests saw one supporter recruited for every six conversations at a fundraising stand and one for 10 conversations on the doorstep.
 
Rohde-Næss adds:
“We were really surprised by the results; how responsive the public have been and how keen they were to talk.
 
“But the trials did pick up a level of fear among fundraisers that needed to be addressed. Every tenth fundraiser experienced some kind of concern during the process and we worked hard to identify what was the critical moment that made them feel that way. Mostly, it was the actual signing up process. So, we changed the methodology, offering a touch-free solution with software that enabled the donor to complete a declaration on their own mobile device and transmit it back to the fundraiser’s iPad. This helped fundraisers feel much more safe during the process.
 
“We also developed badges stating ‘We keep our distance’. This was a reassuring message to convey to the public, while also discouraging them from stepping forward. Regularly cleaning hands and equipment visibly in front of supporters also helped to reinforce the message.”
 
The national guidelines are now in place across Norway and the committee will continue to monitor feedback from the public as the F2F market opens more fully. Further findings are being presented at the Global F2F Fundraising Summit; a virtual event on 3 June, coordinated by the International F2F Congress Committee, Fundraising Association Austria and hosted by Fundraising Everywhere.
 
Related article: New quality standards for F2F fundraising in a socially distanced world

Share

Related posts

Globe image
February 22, 2021

Vibrancy of diverse European civil society unveiled in new report


Read more
data security
February 19, 2021

EU agrees position on ePrivacy rules


Read more
AEF report on foundations
February 10, 2021

Spanish foundation sector’s development & impact revealed in new report


Read more

Sign up to our free monthly news and features

  • Latest news
  • Latest features
  • News from EFA
  • Fundraising Europe
  • Advertise with EFA

Search news by country or category

News by date

Popular topics

  • Research
  • Coronavirus
  • Professional development
  • Individual giving
  • Philanthropic trends
  • Digital
  • Events
  • Legacies
  • Collaboration
  • Tax incentives

Events Calendar

< March 2021 >
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
1 2Nonprofit Day 2021 / La grande sfida del nonprofit (Eng/It) all day
Conference
Online (Festival del fundraising)
3 4Nonprofit Women Camp (Italian) all day
Three-day online event
Nonprofit Women Camp Committee Marketing & Fundraising: Two sides of the same coin? (Dutch) from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm
Masterclass
Online (Fundraisers Alliance Belgium)
5Nonprofit Women Camp (Italian) all day
Three-day online event
Nonprofit Women Camp Committee
6Nonprofit Women Camp (Italian) all day
Three-day online event
Nonprofit Women Camp Committee
7
8 9Case for Support (German) all day
Fundraising Verband Austria (Online Seminar)
Data Driven Fundraising (Dutch) from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm
Masterclass
Online (Fundraisers Alliance Belgium)
10AEFR Inbound Marketing Strategy Series (Spanish) all day
Session 2: Donor recruitment
Online Seminar
11Legacy Fundraising Webinar (English) from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm
Richard Radcliffe: Legacy Fundraising - How to do it right and successfully
NPO Academy
Online
12Legacy Fundraising Webinar (English) from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm
Richard Radcliffe: Legacy Fundraising - How to do it right and successfully
NPO Academy
Online
13 14
15 1615th Fundraising Conference for Higher Education (French) all day
3-day online conference
AFF Fundraisers
17Insamlingsforum Online 2021 (Swedish / English) all day
Two-day annual conference (Giva Sverige / Give Sweden)
Online
18 19 20 21
22 23Content Marketing for Nonprofits (German) all day
Fundraising Verband Austria (Online Seminar)
ERNOP Seminar: Sustaining Voluntary Energy (English) from 10:00 am to 11:00 am
Seminar by Professor Lucas Meys from the Rotterdam School of Management
Online CFRE Webinar: How to become a CFRE in EMEA (English) from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Webinar
24AEFR Inbound Marketing Strategy Series (Spanish) all day
Seminar 3: Education, Closure & Loyalty
Online Diploma in Fundraising (English) all day
CIOF: Fundraising Diploma (One year course, flexible study time, fixed assignment deadlines and exam date)
Booking deadline: 3rd March
25 26 27 28
293rd Digital Social Summit (German) all day
Two-day online conference organised by the Bürgerermut Foundation
30 31        

Registered Office

James Wattstraat 100
NL-1097 DM Amsterdam
Netherlands

EFA is registered at the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce
Reg. No. 34212817

Contact

Executive Officer, Denise Dawes
denise.dawes@efa-net.eu

Media enquiries:
news@efa-net.eu

Follow us

Twitter
Facebook
LinkedIn

Search

© 2021 EFA | European Fundraising Association. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy