WHAT IS SUPPORTERBASE?
SupporterBase is an online community organising platform where your Amnesty action group or network can securely build & communicate with your supporter database, including your group members, mailing list, and community contacts. SupporterBase is specifically designed for people-powered activism, to enhance the sustainability and impact of your group and our movement.
SupporterBase enables you to communicate with your group supporters using:
- Email blasts (sending a single email to a large supporter list simultaneously)
- SMS blasts (sending a single SMS to a large supporter list simultaneously)
- Individual emails, SMS or phone calls
- Generating a calling list
- Supporters can respond to your emails or SMS, these messages create conversation threads that sit within your SupporterBase Mailbox/SMS inbox
- Your emails sent through SupporterBase will have a From address of: group.name@amnesty.org.au
WHY USE SUPPORTERBASE?
- Your group members and supporters are recognised as part of the Amnesty International Australia movement and have opportunities to get further involved and skill-up. This grows our people power which drives human rights impact.
- You will be notified of new group sign-ups so you can welcome them into your group
- Publish your events directly to Amnesty International Australia’s events page for promotion
- Promote your events to your supporter list and communicate with RSVPs to send reminders or important information
- Tag your supporters to identify different types of supporters (eg. Group Members vs Email List) and their interests
- Communicate with your supporter list, individually or collectively, and use advanced filters to find the right people
- We can set up multiple users for your group in SupporterBase to share the load
- Changes in group leadership are managed smoothly with permissions settings that preserve historical data, ensuring continuity and avoiding loss of relationships.
As your group (and broader connected community) gets bigger and bigger, it’s hugely helpful to have all these functions in the one place, where the information is accessible and transparent to any group member who has completed the privacy training and received a login.
HOW DOES SUPPORTERBASE FIT INTO YOUR GROUP’S IT INFRASTRUCTURE?
Different groups do things differently and it’s important to find what works for your people. Below is one example of how a group might use a combination of online tools to help achieve their activism goals:
| Platform | Main Use | Examples of uses |
| Group email account eg. Gmail or Outlook | An email account for the group for general admin & contact purposes, particularly for external contacts Online file storage and sharing | Share/collaborate on documents with the group’s core members Contact email for the group Communication with external contacts, individuals or smaller groups |
| SupporterBase | Maintain secure database of group supporters Publishing events to the Amnesty website and collecting RSVPs Mass communications (eg. Email blasts and SMS blasts) to supporter list Gaining new group sign-ups from the Amnesty website | Sending a newsletter using an email blast to their supporter list Sending event invitations to supporter list using an email blast or SMS blast Sending reminders & important information to event RSVPs (email blast or SMS blast) Getting contact details of new group sign-ups to reach out and welcome to the group |
| Instant messaging group: a channel for the group within Amnesty’s Online Community on WhatsApp | Quick communication between group members or supporters | Within your group channel: Communicating in between meetings/events to make plans or share ideas Within the broader Amnesty Online Community: Connecting with the rest of our national movement, hearing about upcoming events and opportunities, learning from shared experiences and challenges of other activists, and celebrating each other’s activism across the country! |
| Social Media* | Sharing information with networks and/or wider public | * Unfortunately, there have been consistent issues with META shutting down public Facebook and instagram pages for many groups and we have been unable to find a solution. Private groups/pages are less likely to be removed by META. If you have an approach to social media that works for your group we would love to hear about it so we can share with other groups! |
HOW-TO GUIDE AND WAYS TO GET HELP
The ‘how-to’ guide and video tutorial will help you navigate each feature of the SupporterBase platform. This guide includes detailed screenshots and step-by-step instructions covering everything from basic setup to complex tasks. It also discusses the impact of the transition on your current processes and explores alternative ways of working.
Keep this guide handy as a continuous reference. Bookmark the online version for easy access.
There are several other ways to get help:
- Email Support:
- Amnesty Support: email activism@amnesty.org.au
- Direct Support from SupporterBase: For specific platform-related queries, you can reach out directly to the friendly SupporterBase team at info@supporterbase.com. Please include your role and group when contacting them for a quicker, more tailored response.
- Help & Guides within SupporterBase: For immediate assistance, click the Help & Guides button located in the bottom left corner of the SupporterBase platform. This resource offers quick answers and guidance directly within the system.
FAQs
For additional clarity and support, we have compiled a comprehensive FAQ document that addresses common queries related to SupporterBase. This document will be regularly updated as new questions arise, ensuring you have the most current information at your fingertips.
HOW TO GROW YOUR SUPPORTER LIST
Adding your existing supporters/contacts
Firstly you want to add all your current group members and supporters into your SupporterBase group. You can add people individually directly in the platform or add all your supporters to a spreadsheet (using a copy of the provided template) for us to import into your group. The best way to add a large list of supporters is using the import method. Currently, only staff can perform imports. Once your spreadsheet is ready, email it to us at activism@amnesty.org.au. For detailed instructions on both options refer to the How-To Guide.
Gaining new supporters
Below is a list of ideas for ways to grow your group supporters:
- Ask people in your networks. Friends and family members are the most likely to say yes to you.
- Events are a great way to reach new audiences. Are you holding events that attract people? Check out the Events & Tactics Checklist for tips and resources.
- At all your events and stalls be sure to have a way for new people to sign-up to hear from or join your group. You can use a paper sign-up sheet and add the details to SupporterBase after your event, and/or you can use a QR code that links directly to your group’s sign-up page. Figure out what works best for new people to follow through with signing up.
- Tip: set a goal before your event for how many new sign-ups you want to get, to help motivate your volunteers to reach the target
- Follow-up: when someone expresses an interest, ask for their contact information and give them yours. Follow up with them as soon as possible, ideally within 48 hours. Call, email or text them and invite them to your next event, group meeting or to a casual coffee catch-up.
- Share the link to your group’s sign-up page on social media
- Put up flyers with a QR code to your sign-up page
- If you run a ticketed event using platforms like Humanitix or Eventbrite, add new supporters from the ticket list to your SupporterBase so you can follow up with them and invite them to take a next step. Just be sure to honour any communications preferences you receive.
Check out our resource on Recruitment & Retention for more ideas!
