RAF Museum's 'Adopt an Artefact' 2020 Success

How RAF Museum worked with Good Thyngs to inspire and engage supporters to adopt one of 50 artefacts.

Keeping History Alive in Lockdown

Since July 2020, members of the public have been given the unique opportunity to Adopt an Artefact from the Museum’s unique collection online. The entire collection consists of more than 1.3 million items, spanning more than a century of RAF history. ‘Adopt an Artefact’ is a unique opportunity for everyone to be part of the RAF’s story, while raising contact-free funds for the RAF Museum.Using Good Thyngs,the adoptee is able to process a quick and secure donation with the option of Gift Aid.

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The Challenge

To engage the public with the RAF’s history and preserve artefacts of importance in new ways online.

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The Cashless Solution

• The RAF Museum worked with Good Thyngs to upload over 50 unique artefacts onto the system as individual objects. This enabled the ability to track individual purchases and conversions, as well as process singular payments.
• Using the 3-step payment template, ‘Adopt an Artefact’ is easy for donors to use.The payment is processed as a donation, supporting the charity instantly.
• Donors go through a simple process. 1) Choose an artefact to adopt online. 2) Make a quick and secure donation. 3) Receive a digital image of the artefact, plus a certificate.

Speaking good thyngs

"Support from adoptees will help the Museum continue sharing the RAF Story, past, present and future, to engage, inspire and encourage learning for current and future generations."

Edward Sharman, Head of Development RAF Museum

"The RAF Museum is a registered charity and we rely heavily on visitor donations, fundraising and our commercial activities to generate income.Due to the ongoing pandemic we needed to adapt our fundraising strategy and started working with Good Thyngs in April last year on a number of projects to help increase our digital visitor giving.

Whilst the Museum remains closed, Adopt an Artefact has given us to the opportunity to continue our fundraising and also allows us to continue to share the RAF Story."

Abi Betteridge, Individual Giving Manager at the RAF Museum Cosford

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The Unique Benefits

• Good Thyngs enabled the website’s ability to process quick and frictionless payments as instant donations.
• Provides the additional opportunity to achieve multiple goals in one solution. For example,raising awareness, preserving history, and raising crucial funds.
• The charity can update the experience at any time to drive further engagement and align seasonal fundraising themes.For example, the incentive was updated for Christmas 2020 with new festive theme adoptions.
• The analytic data allows the charity to personally dedicate the adoptees on ‘Collections Online,’ the Museum’s new digital collections system.

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The Outstanding Results

• Unique users 8,784– over 8,500 website visitors have engaged with the charity’s incentive
• Conversion 416 (35.2%)- 35%went on to adopt
• Payment £9,657.13- The incentive processed over £9,500 in less than 6 months
• AverageDonation£56-The average value of an online regular donation increased during 2019to £8.10. The most common donation amount is £5, which makes up 35% of all regular donations.

Get in touch to request a demo.