the bitty awards

There are the Caples Awards…the Fundraising Success Gold Awards…the Tagline Awards…the ECHO Awards..

Have you ever wondered, “where’s the award for excellence for the small shop fundraiser?”  We’re talking about the executive director or development director who diligently studies copywriting and direct mail techniques.  Who struggles mightily with the challenges of limited technology.  All with no dedicated copywriter, and no design team.

Announcing the bitty award for brilliance in direct mail fundraising for small shop nonprofit organizations.

In the words of copywriter and judge, Lisa Sargent, “No big agencies, only the small-but-mighty creative genius of bootstrapping organizations.”

This means you!

The annual bitty award will open to accept entries on January 7, 2013 and close on March 8, 2013.  So make this year’s year-end fundraising season your best ever!  Five prizes will be awarded (with some exciting, yet to be announced giveaways!):

  1. First Prize
  2. Second Prize
  3. Honorable Mention
  4. Award for Multichannel (which includes direct mail), and
  5. Best Thank You Letter.

To be eligible for entry, an organization’s 2011 annual operating budget must be less than $2.5 million.  Entrants will be required to provide two complete direct mail packages as mailed (no design proofs or photographs will be accepted), and draft a short essay relating their goals for the mailing, the size of the database mailed to, and, most importantly, their results.  Entries will be judged on creativity, donor-focus, results and design.

The bitty award celebrates the millions of small community-based organizations throughout the world who are engaged every day in creative, donor and heart-focused fundraising – using limited resources.

Here’s how to enter:

  1. Download your Official bitty award Entry Form here
  2. Write your best appeal ever!
  3. Send in your entry (entries will be accepted until March 8, 2013)
  4. Join us in February as we celebrate the creativity and resourcefulness of small shop fundraisers everywhere!