Case: Refugee Walk Flanders - New international collaboration: 'Kentaa is reliable, accessible and does what they promise.'

On September 25, 2022, Refugee Work Flanders organised their Refugee Walk for the seventh time. The sponsored walking tour aims to raise money for the organisation's work and show solidarity for people on the run. This Belgian organisation teamed up with Kentaa for fundraising for the first time. A decision that has proven successful: with 1,600 participants, a revenue of more than € 331,000 was raised via www.refugeewalk.be.

It is the second time since the end of the corona pandemic that Refugee Work Flanders was able to organise a 'main' fundraising event in which participants walk a set route together. At the same time, the option for participants to follow a self-planned route, which was created during the pandemic, has remained intact following its appeal to many people and its ability to attract recurring participants.

During the event, 1,100 participants participated in the organised central event, in addition to the nearly 500 walkers who walked their own route.

The choice for Kentaa

After a less successful collaboration with a Belgian partner, the fundraising team, in which Cara Allonsius is active, started looking for a new (international) partner for online fundraising last year.
Allonsius: "We immediately had the best feeling when talking to Kentaa. The communication went smoothly, the product looked good, and we immediately saw that it would be easy to use for participants. We found that (ease of use) to be paramount."

A new collaboration can be a little daunting. For every party, but perhaps even more so if, as a Belgian organisation, you collaborate with a non-Belgian partner for the first time. How does communication work, what does the platform do, is it reliable, and will we not face unpleasant surprises? However, any concerns were soon dispelled.

Allonsius: “Above all, Kentaa has proven to be a very reliable and accessible platform that you can use quickly and easily. Contact with the support department, including Jasper, went very smoothly. They are right there if you have any questions or to help with any little problem. The most pleasant thing about the collaboration was that there were no surprises. We came off a very bumpy partnership and stability and reliability were critical for us to build on. And Kentaa more than offered that.”

The reaction of the participants

The collaboration with Kentaa has brought about several significant changes for the participants. The most important? An individual fundraising page. This was not the case before, and some people have had to get used to it, according to the feedback received. Partly because they see themselves primarily as part of a team, and with individual pages, that team feeling can fade into the background. At the same time, you see a competitive side emerging in people who want to be the best in the group and raise the most funds. Which in turn can also stimulate other team members.

A survey among the participants ultimately shows that more than 75% of the respondents are satisfied to very satisfied with the new fundraising website.

The registration flow also played a role in this, which, according to Allonsius, went much more smoothly than in previous editions. "Last year, we received countless questions about this, and this time, there were almost none. So that has been great progress."

The results – striking numbers

What immediately stands out from the results is that the average starting donation (which participants can make when registering) and the average donation amount for this event are very high. This may have to do with a tax rebate that Belgians can receive with a donation starting from € 40, which yields a tax benefit, but of course, the willingness to give as well.

Average starting donation € 39.21
Average at Kentaa € 28.64

Average donation € 38.12
Average at Kentaa € 32.86

Most chosen donation € 50.00
Average at Kentaa € 10.00

Refugee Work Flanders has so far opted for a relatively low individual fundraising target of €100 for the Refugee Walk, given the competition from various other events. This means that the participants and teams can quickly reach their goal, especially given the high average donation amounts. There is potential for growth in the future. We also see an above-average willingness to fundraise to reach the target amount. Increasing the fundraising target can lead to more donations and, thus, higher total proceeds for people on the run.

The Refugee Walk uses a Member get Member principle to recruit participants. The recruited team captains, in turn, recruit team members. This is smart because raising donations in a team is motivating. It also helps participants who find fundraising a bit more complicated. Within the team, they have been able to contribute to the target.

In total, more than 7,800 donations were made. This does not include the registration fee (€ 10 for the central edition and € 5 for the home edition) that the participants pay. Of the participants, 60% made a start donation, kickstarting their fundraising page. This is a high percentage, but with an adjustment to the communication (in the registration flow), it may be possible to increase it even further.

Communication and other options within the Kentaa platform

In addition to making and keeping the participants satisfied while fundraising, the entire communication flow is on the list of focus points for the upcoming edition. This year, Refugee Work Flanders handled the communication with other tools. Still, more automation on the Kentaa platform is an essential option for the organisation because contact with participants of the main event and participants with their own routes can run side by side - with specific information about each edition.

In addition, including donation examples in the communication, an extra incentive when the fundraising target is met before a specific date (the raising of funds generally does not start until late in the year), personal communication and appealing social sharing texts and tips, offer excellent opportunities in the field of recruitment.

Allonsius: "Next year, we also want to invest further in the day's experience. With the catering, through the partners we work with, the animation team, to make it more of a unique experience for the participants, in addition to a statement of support in person and a donation to the people on the run."

The Refugee Walk is a well-known event among supporters and like-minded people, but Refugee Work Flanders also wants to reach new target groups. The possibilities of the Kentaa platform can help with this, which is also on the list of priorities for next year. "As an initial step, it was important for us to learn how to operate this platform. There's room for play, exploring and trying various options."

For the 2023 edition, Refugee Work Flanders is investigating which other features of the Kentaa platform could increase revenue. For example, a unique registration flow for companies; the companies then have their own page on which employees can raise funds. In addition, matchfunding and tracking of kilometres travelled are possibilities to increase the proceeds and improve the experience for participants.

In conclusion

Overall, this maiden voyage has turned out to be an excellent first collaboration. One that will be continued next year. "Yes, I think Kentaa is a good decision, also for other organisations looking for a reliable partner who keeps their promises. The platform looks nice, and you get everything you need."

Do you also want to set up a successful fundraising event with the Kentaa platform? Contact us.