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Date of issue: Monday 16th March 2015, for immediate release
DONATE raises over £50,000 for Battersea Arts Centre in under 3 days
Campaign Codes:
 Don8.to/BAC012
 Text (std text charge): BACPHOENIX to 70970
 Visit: www.bac.org.uk
DONATE from the National Funding Scheme (NFS) has pulled in an astonishing £50,000 in
mobile and online donations to support Battersea Arts Centre (BAC) after their devastating fire
on Friday 13th March.
Due to the flexibility of the digital platform and quick-thinking at both BAC and NFS on Friday
evening the campaign was launched before the fire engines had put out the flames. Key
features of the campaign handled by both teams were:
a) Immediate and ongoing use of Twitter and social media by both
b) Continuous updates on BAC’s DONATE funding page identifying funds raised in real time
c) Updates to BBC and other press outlets on campaign momentum
d) Awareness raising efforts through Twitter to celebrities and influencers
e) Broadcast coverage on TV channel London Live on Sunday 15th (lunchtime news) (see:
vimeo.com/122233707 )
f) Agreement from South West Trains to announce the campaign codes as trains pass
Battersea. Also on SWT Twitter and website
Insights from the campaign identify that more than 1600 people have donated through
DONATE at an average donation level of above £30.
Commenting on the amazing response, Kane Moore, Senior Development Manager at the
Battersea Arts Centre said:
""The National Funding Scheme and their campaign to help us raise funds has allowed us to
draw something hugely positive out of the devastating fire at Battersea Arts Centre on Friday
13th March.
The National Funding Scheme (Charity No.: 1149800)
Registered Office: 2-6 Cannon Street, London EC4M 6YH
Trustees: Seamus Keating, Bernard Donoghue, William Makower, Catherine May, Molly Waiting, Caroline Worboys
Patrons: The Lord Chris Smith of Finsbury PC, Dame Fiona Reynolds DBE, Martha Lane Fox CBE, Christopher Rodrigues CBE, Robert Dufton
Not only did the DONATE team call us and suggest that we launch a national campaign to
raise funds but, whilst we were dealing with the immediate logistics, they took the initiative.
Within one hour of their original call the cause was live, linked to our website and ready to
receive funds. The first hour saw over £1,500 donated and within twelve hours this had grown
to £10,500. Two days later and over 1,600 people have donated close to £50,000 – an
incredible response, with gifts from £5 to £5,000. Beyond donations, people have made so
many generous offers of support, from free office space to venues that we can use to house
our Grand Hall shows. A traditional emergency fundraising campaign using volunteers with
donation buckets might have resulted in £5-10,000 in donations; at £50,000 in less than 3
days the National Funding Scheme has moved us to a completely new level."
The outpouring of support has been amazing and is so valuable in getting our programme
back on, working through the next 12 months and rebuilding our home brick by brick. The front
of our building is open but we have lost our offices, equipment and Grand Hall theatre and
must create an entirely new working model for the immediate future.
DONATE have been extraordinary. Not only working with us in regularly tweeting out and
adapting copy as the campaign developed but also organising a studio interview with London
Live which went out live on Sunday 15th March. In addition Battersea Arts Centre are
extremely grateful for the generosity of the National Funding Scheme in capping their fees so
the maximum possible amount is being donated to us.
It is great to see Battersea Arts Centre's supporters, from artists to audiences to local
residents, getting behind us in such a significant way.”
William Makower, founder and Trustee of the National Funding Scheme said
“The original research behind a national mobile donation platform identified that tapping into
the immediacy of emotion would be key. The public response from Friday has proved exactly
that. We want to show we care and are part of our local community in times such as these and
the immediacy and instancy of a dedicated and flexible mobile platform which is free to all
charities is key to this.
The trustee’s objective of the National Funding Scheme is to have all the UK’s arts and other
charities sign up and make use of this free resource. We very much hope this extraordinary
example kick-starts a new approach to fundraising for local community needs”.
For further information and images, please contact:
 Kane Moore, Battersea Arts Centre, Development Director
[email protected]
 Olivia Mason, National Funding Scheme
[email protected]
 William Makower, National Funding Scheme, Trustee
[email protected]
020 3174 2276
www.nationalfundingscheme.org or www.don8.to
Twitter @NFSUK
Notes:
1)
DONATE is the public-facing brand of the National Funding Scheme. Wherever people see the
DONATE sign, asking them to support a particular cause, they can easily make a donation through
digital channels using their mobile device (phone, tablet etc). DONATE combines QR code, Near-Field
Communication, web app and SMS texting into one simple platform, meaning people give through one
recognised brand via multiple digital channels.
2)
The NFS is a registered charity specifically set up to help other charities in the arts and heritage sector
to build their fundraising knowledge, skills and capacity using digital technology.