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‘Do you have any idea what an M-16 rifle does to a child at close range?’ When Larry Wilson had this question hurled at him, not surprisingly, he couldn’t answer. He believes fervently in the power of stories so he listened as his questioner told of his painful experiences. Click here to find out how you can tell stories that will invite your donors to become main characters in the stories themselves.

Nicole Schmidt is convinced that we should all be copying J K Rowling by telling our stories they way she told Harry Potter’s. Ms Rowling, of course, sold millions of books and made a huge amount of money. Will we fundraisers raise millions for our causes if we adopt her techniques?

Recounting a mildly bizarre but uplifting encounter that was to involve not one, but two, popular fast-food snacks, Derek Humphries reminds us of the simple but firm foundations every truly compelling fundraising should be built on.

In this article, creative director and copy chief of marketing and fundraising agency Grizzard, James Read, looks at some of the newest and relatively small charities that have succeeded in raising enviable amounts of awareness and money. He shares the five principles he believes characterise today’s most innovative nonprofits and how you can apply them to your organisation.