Non profit

Italy: Paolo Giganti

VITA Europe meets four mangers for talking about fundraising and looking at the new tendency of the sector

WWF’s panda logo is recognised worldwide as a symbol of conservation and sustainable development. Vita Europe talked with Paolo Giganti marketing manager at WWF Italia, the Italian branch of the WWF Network, the world’s leading environmental organisation founded in 1961 and now active in over 100 countries.

WWF Italia is very popular here in Italy and worldwide too. What is the impact of the individual fundraising for WWF Italy, now?

It’s surely very important, their impact is the 70%. The regular donors that embraces WWF cause are 250,000. We have seen a decrease in the number of donors of 10%-15% during the past 15 years. Our donors are 50% men and 50% women, most of them live in the North of Italy, in medium-large towns. The average donation is about 45-50 euros. During the years the average donation has increased , especially with the entrance of the Euro currency. With the Italian Lira, the average donation was 30-35,000, therefore a positive trend took place.

Paolo, based on your experience ,what is more appealing to Italian donors?
The WWF oasis that are situated in 130 Italian area. These are, for sure, a strong attraction for our supporters. The most successful projects are those initiatives that involve the protection of great animals like pandas, tigers, lions…In the past 2-3 years WWF focus is shifting slightly to the impact on climate changes too.

Have you changed the way you relate with your donors over the years?
Yes, we have. We went from a strong use of direct mail to the use of other means of donations like telemarketing, face-to-face, volunteering. For sure the future is all about online donations.

To find about more visit www.wwf.it

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