As the Fundraising Department of The Heart Research Institute consists of only five people (the majority of staff at the Institute being scientists) some fundraising programs are successfully conducted by outside companies.
Heart Research Institute fundraisers talk to people directly by using a variety of approaches: including in shopping centres; on the street, at your door, in the office and over the phone. Face-to-face and telemarketing fundraising is the most cost-effective way of recruiting monthly supporters and has become a hugely important part of our fundraising activity.
Meet the Team
Ksenia joined a team of fundraisers representing The Heart Research Institute.
Read her story.
Put simply, it works. Our fundraisers have doubled the number of regular givers over the years. The value of a regular gift via direct debit or credit card cannot be overstated. The long-term security of these donations allows us to plan ahead with confidence.
These campaigns also attract a diverse range of supporters, many of whom we have not been able to reach through traditional methods such as direct mail. For example, our street fundraising has led to a marked rise in the number of young supporters who are committed to long-term giving.
As well as raising money for our ongoing work, our fundraisers share news of our projects with people in all parts of the country. To help make sure our fundraisers are knowledgeable ambassadors for The Heart Research Institute, we hold frequent training workshops to teach them about our mission, core objectives and projects. We take pride in the knowledge, enthusiasm and quality of our fundraisers.
We monitor our campaigns closely to ensure our representatives adhere to all regulations and codes of best practice.
The codes of conduct states that fundraisers:
> should not use manipulative techniques
> should never say anything that could pressure or harass people
> must always end a conversation in a polite and respectful manner as soon as
they are asked to.
Our fundraisers only ask for regular gifts via direct debit/credit cards and are not authorised to accept one-off cash gifts.
Legitimate face-to-face fundraisers will be: > Wearing a red polo shirt or jacket with The Heart Research Institute logo; > Displaying photo identification; > Carrying up-to-date Heart Research Institute literature, including a pitch card, welcome brochure, ‘what happens next’ cards, a ‘Research Highlights’ brochure and a letter of authority from The Heart Research Institute; > Standing near a large Heart Research Institute banner.
Legitimate face-to-face fundraisers will be:
> Wearing a red polo shirt or jacket with The Heart Research Institute logo;
> Displaying photo identification;
> Carrying up-to-date Heart Research Institute literature, including a pitch card, welcome brochure, ‘what happens next’ cards, a ‘Research Highlights’ brochure and a letter of authority from The Heart Research Institute;
> Standing near a large Heart Research Institute banner.
If you can’t find the answer to your question on our website, or if you have any concerns about the conduct of someone representing The Heart Research Institute, please contact our fundraising team on 1800 651 373. Alternatively you can send your questions to fundraising@hri.org.au.