Stakeholder relations

A clear relation with stakeholders is of major importance for Net4kids. It is an essential condition to ensure the success of the organisation. Various target groups can be identified, each with their own contact intensity:

Donor relations
From the moment a donor signs on, at various times throughout the year, the donor will be informed on the status and progress of their donation. Use of the internet and e-mail guarantee regular interaction with the donors:

  • Personal progress report (2x per year). Examples.
  • Net4kids newsletter (4x per year – realised only 3 times in 2006) [link voorbeeld]
  • Project update (minimum 2x per year, more where applicable)
  • General information (continuously via internet)

My Net4kids & minisites
While we want to move towards a ‘My Net4kids’ environment, customised per user to display relevant information in an organised way, the majority of reports are currently still sent by e-mail. The major donors are provided with their own minisites during this transitional period (for example http://www.net4kids.org/eureffect). With a fixed format and the options for the donor to provide their own content, this is a solid platform for communication with the donor and their key target groups. The minisites contain information regarding sponsoring: the sponsor and the context of sponsorship, the projects, reports and often also photo albums and video reports.

Accessibility and personal contact
While we strive to channel the majority of contacts via the internet, donors always have the option of contacting the organisation directly with comments or questions. The possibility for contact is the basis for personal involvement and transparency. With the current staff situation, we have not always been able to man the phones non-stop. Particularly during the last two months of the year, when our permanent secretarial staff was on pregnancy leave, our availability was limited. Despite the fact that we were able to meet our goal of a first response within 24 hours, Monday to Friday, in almost every case, we plan to increase our accessibility and accurate follow-up in 2007.

At this moment in time, about 10% of the smaller donors contacts us personally before donating. The new website, with increased transparency and online possibilities, should help further reduce this percentage. Offline contacts are common with larger donors, which is something we will continue to do, as we strive to support the large (business) donors in their corporate social responsibility activities.

The current questions donors ask, just like last year, are particularly concerned with:

  • Availability of projects
  • Advice regarding project choice
  • Information about payment
  • General information regarding the organisation and the projects

In order to increase involvement in the projects, the goal is to organize at least one or two ‘donor-meets-project-partner’ sessions each year. This depends on the project partner’s schedule, considering the priority must remain with execution of the project, and it is not always possible or desirable to halt production. In 2006, a number of these meetings occurred:

  • Both Vi@frica and the Partnership Foundation were present at the Made in Scotland golf tournament to answer questions and provide information on their projects for which funds were raised.
  • Two representatives of the Remer project visited their corporate donor.
  • Representatives of a large corporate sponsor visited the Partnership Foundation project supported by them, Loreto Dharamtala in Calcutta.

Organisation sponsor relations
A separate line of communication was set up for organisation sponsors. The results of their contributions cannot be tied to one project or group of children. However, Net4kids wants to make sure they are at least as involved as donors. While much operational communication takes place with organisation sponsors throughout the year in relation to goods and/or services, the annual report is the most formal contact moment for this group. Additionally, they receive:

Following extensive consultation, and thanks to sponsorship by printing company Drukkerij Jubels, the decision was made to upgrade the major contact moment with organisation sponsors – the annual report. The result may be viewed here [online – fotoimpressie link]. The structure of the annual report, in which the various foundations report independently, joining forces for a look towards 2007, emphasises that such a report is not an endpoint, but merely a snapshot of continuous efforts.

We offer organisation sponsors in particular the opportunity to hear us speak about Net4kids. They are the ones who – with money, goods or services – power the flywheel for child aid we believe in so strongly. In 2006, we gave two such presentations to existing donors, and numerous presentations to prospects.

Project relations
Contact with our project partners is at least as important as contact with donors. Only by treating both with equal value and via good 2-way communication is it possible to generate involvement with both donors and project partners. This is why the basic Net4kids website is in English; it allows both parties, the donor and project partner, to access the same information. In order to further increase accessibility, we hope to have a bilingual website latest by September 2006. The addition of Dutch as an official second language has been postponed until next year together with the new website.

In addition to the general communication via newsletters and the internet, each project partner has their own account manager. This account manager oversees the execution of the project and the flow of information towards donors, and supports the project partner from the Netherlands whenever possible.

Press relations
With a minimal marketing budget, PR is the most important instrument in increasing Net4kids name recognition. Wherever possible the press is therefore a key target group that Net4kids tries to involve in the progress of the organisation and its projects. Progress reports are sent to a select group of journalists each quarter. This approach is generating increasing results, given the number of ‘repeat’ articles by the same journalists.

2006 was also the first year a themed press lunch was organised about the growing role of businesses in charities, at which in addition to Net4kids, MVO Nederland (Corporate Social Responsibility the Netherlands) and stock broker Eureffect took a seat and discussed the issues with four journalists. While this initially only resulted in two articles, the lunch laid the groundwork for future cooperation in terms of both networking and content. The theme lunch was repeated in early 2007 with four other journalists.