What Appco UK Has Seen, Learned and Built Since 1989

Since 1989, Appco UK has been instrumental in connecting charities with the people who support their causes

At Appco UK, a number of our team members have been with us for more than a decade. Several began on the front line as ambassadors for Appco UK's charity partners, working in direct sales teams before going on to run their own companies. That journey, from the doorstep to business ownership, gives them a rare understanding of face-to-face fundraising from every angle.

The sales teams Appco UK works with are independent businesses in their own right, run by entrepreneurs who have chosen to build their own sales companies. They choose to partner with Appco UK to connect with some of the most well-known charities in the UK, and many of them have been part of our network for years.

That kind of longevity and continuity brings something valuable to the way Appco UK operates and to the strength of our charity partnerships. When the same people have worked through multiple economic cycles, downturns, and a global pandemic, they have the experience to solve problems and adapt quickly. 

They know which charity messaging holds up when household budgets tighten, and which needs rethinking. They are able to draw on lessons learned in the field, pressures felt by the sales company owners, and which campaigns have worked in the past with our charity partners. 

Since its launch in 1989, Appco UK has seen the fundraising landscape change in ways few could have predicted. In this article, we share a behind-the-scenes look at what we have seen, learned, and built over more than three decades of connecting charities with the sales teams that represent them.

How Did Appco UK Adapt During the 2008 Financial Period?

When the 2008 financial period reshaped household confidence, supporters were not unwilling to give. They were simply more careful about committing to anything ongoing. The conversation on the doorstep changed almost overnight. People who would previously have signed up to a regular gift without much hesitation began asking different questions. 

• How long does this commitment last? 

• Can I change the amount if my circumstances change? 

• What happens to my donation if I need to pause?

Retention strategies became just as important as supporter acquisition. Appco UK were able to show their charity partners how the supporter journey had changed, from the first face-to-face conversation at the door to the welcome experience that followed, and the ongoing relationship after that. 

The conversations on the doorstep evolved to meet supporters where they were. This meant celebrating the supporters who could still give generously, while making it easy and dignified for those who were supporters but needed to start with smaller donations. 

How did the pandemic impact F2F fundraising? 

Within weeks of the first lockdown, public sites closed, private sites were inaccessible, and the sales teams who would normally be out representing charities were unsure about their future. For an operation built around in-person conversation, that is as fundamental a disruption as it gets.

Appco UK was one of the first agencies to resume working with key partners after lockdown. How?

By working closely with the charity partners as well as the marketing companies to test new approaches, ensure safe fundraising, and adhere to social distancing requirements. Within a few weeks, Appco UK had put together an extensive risk assessment covering both channels with modifications to make the fundraising as safe as possible. 

Some of the actions Appco UK were able to implement quickly: 

• Implemented a daily health check on an app to ensure no fundraisers in the field had symptoms

• Worked with developers to add a contactless sign-up method to avoid physical contact from sharing or passing the tablet to supporters. 

• Fundraisers had to use the required PPE and also provide images/spot checks to ensure adherence. 

• Marked the floor with tape to ensure a safe distance was maintained between the fundraisers and the public. 

Resilience in face-to-face fundraising is not about waiting out the storm. It is about using the quiet period to come back stronger, which we’ve seen produce more sign-ups in 2024 than pre-pandemic numbers. When the doors opened again, Appco UK’s role ensured that everyone started in a better position than they had left off. 

How Has Appco UK Adapted to Changes in Face-to-Face Fundraising?

What Appco UK has built since 1989 is not a static company. It is a fundraising connector that has learned to adapt and benefit from the skill set and experience of a team that deeply understands all levels of the face-to-face fundraising landscape during economic downturns. From the fundraisers having conversations on the doorstep to the entrepreneurs running independent sales companies to the strategic leaders working directly with our charity partners, our team has stood in each of those roles. 

That perspective is what allows us to navigate change with clarity rather than guesswork. When a crisis hits, we are not learning the landscape from scratch. We are drawing on decades of lived experience across every part of it.

That is what we have spent the last three decades building. And it is what Appco UK will continue to build for the decades ahead.