A big element of the US new media campaign revolution has been about the ability to use the web to incentivise individuals to donate small sums that contribute to a big sum.

The internet enables campaigns to mobilise people all over the country in an efficient way. Once you know a bit about what motivates them you can segment your messaging and also empower them to run their own local campaigns. Then they start donating and fundraising amongst their local networks.

The web enables you to see how your bit is contributing to an ever rising total - just like Blue Peter:)

Howard Dean/Joe Trippi did it with devastating success in 2004 and now Obama is taking that on.

The prospect of getting funds in, that are not donated by a powerful interest group, has been the incentive for US campaigns to cede a bit of control down to grassroots. British politicians have been skeptical of the potential for ordinary folk to bring in cash so have shied away from any attempt to engage properly in new media.

However you CAN motivate people behind specific appeals or campaigns. As long as you target properly and show people they can make a difference so a SPECIFIC aim that they care about.

Step forward Compass, the left wing pressure group. They sent an email to a targeted group of supporters asking them to donate a small amount towards a small sum, needed to do some research that might unlock a campaign for a windfall tax on energy companies.

edited highlights.....

"Our windfall tax campaign is really gaining momentum. Thanks to your lobbying we’ve now got over 55 Labour MPs supporting us and the number is still growing! We’ve also received a wave of new media coverage in recent days.

We urgently need YouGov to run a poll of UK voters to demonstrate electoral support for a windfall tax, this will cost £1000 - the same amount in profit that Centrica, BP and Shell make every second of every day, but unlike them we don’t have any budget for this. Fortunately UNISON has kindly pledged £500 on the basis that our members and supporters collectively pledge the same — this is a call to help us release this funding.

Please donate to our campaign today. Don’t let the oil and energy lobby win — we need just 50 people to donate £10 today - less for those on tight incomes, or more if you can afford it, any surplus above £500 will fund more campaign work.

Go to the website now and make a special donation to this important campaign: http://www.compassonline.org.uk/donate.asp. Or make cheques payable to ‘Compass’ and send first-class to the address below.

Please do it this second and don’t leave it to someone else to do! Its time to ‘be the change you wish to see in the world’."Well it WORKED!

The email went out midday last Friday. So far they've raised £2345 from individual donors in addition to the £500 pledged by UNISON. That includes 76 donations that have come in immediately by Paypal included in above figures - along with at least 10 pledged donations yet to come in by cheque (not included in above figures). Donations are still coming in. Given the email went out on a Friday / over a weekend in August they are quite pleased with this response.