When I am advising non-profits, I tell them that effective fundraising is part art, part science. You need structure and planning to support it, but you also need instinct and charisma to make it a success. Both sides are essential.

I.G.’s sister company, Social Misfits Media, works to demonstrate how powerful social media can be in building such relationships, and empowers charities to use it effectively.

It’s easy to see how the corporate foundation has gone out of fashion. In many ways it seems a relic, conjuring up an image of corporate fat cats smoking cigars and deciding the best way to avoid paying their taxes. Many question the role a corporate foundation can play in this new world.

Vital to any fundraising strategy is saying thank you to donors and supporters who have given to your organisation through time, effort or money. In this article, we’ll highlight one charity that is successfully using social media throughout the fundraising process, particularly when stewarding the people who donate or fundraise on their behalf.