Sustainable donor acquisition

You may see Starlight's Fundraisers in shopping centres, retail spaces and even going door to door talking to the public about the important work that Starlight undertakes.

Sometimes called Face-Face to Fundraising, this approach, using one-to-one conversations is extremely valuable to enable Starlight to highlight our role in supporting seriously ill children and explain the need for ongoing, regular donations.

We call it sustainable donor acquisition to reflect the impact regular donors have on our long-term sustainability.

Why sustainable donor acquisition fundraising?

This type of fundraising is vital to enable Starlight to maintain and grow our essential programs helping seriously ill children across Australia.

Our sustainable donor acquisition strategy is one of the most cost-effective and efficient forms of fundraising.

New supporters who commit to an ongoing monthly donation provide Starlight with a secure income stream which allows us to plan for the long term. Sadly, children are diagnosed with serious illness every day, so we require ongoing funding to continue to meet the needs of these children and their families.

How do I know if a fundraiser is genuine?

Our Starlight All Stars are easy to spot!

Dressed in a yellow Starlight t-shirt with the Starlight logo printed on it
Wearing an ID badge with the Starlight logo, fundraiser's name, ID number and photo
Being respectful, polite and knowledgeable about Starlight's services
Asking for regular, monthly donations via direct debit or credit/debit card

If you're still not sure, please get in contact with our Supporter Engagement Team on 1300 727 827.

Why are there only ongoing monthly donation options - why not one-off?

Starlight relies almost entirely on the generous support of the community, so we need a continuous stream of funding to ensure we can meet the growing need for our services. Regular monthly donations allow us to plan and develop programs and services that have the greatest long-term impact on the health and wellbeing of seriously ill and hospitalised children.

The personal nature of sustainable donor acquisition means we can talk to people who we would otherwise not be able to reach and share with them the need for, and impact of their support. This type of fundraising also helps to increase awareness and understanding of Starlight's important work in the community.

Why do you outsource this type of fundraising?

Like many charities, we use specialist, professional fundraising organisations. Importantly, we only work with organisations who employ their fundraisers through a direct employment model for our sustainable donor acquisition. This has proven to be a successful and cost-effective approach.

We only work with professional agencies with skilled and capable fundraisers who work on our behalf. By outsourcing, we can focus on what we do best - helping bring happiness to sick kids - and ensure the money raised is used as efficiently and effectively as possible.

External agencies provide the skillset, infrastructure and economies of scale that we would not be able to replicate internally.

Why don't you use volunteers?

The skills, infrastructure and experience needed to manage this type of strategy is most effectively delivered by specialist fundraising agencies who are experts in this area.