Much has been written about how charities should communicate impact. How to communicate with donors, how to thank them and, perhaps most importantly, how to explain what you did with their money are undoubtedly tough nuts to crack.

Cynics might say it’s important to ensure donations continue (which it obviously is), others feel you should thank someone who gave their hard-earned funds (which you should). Whatever the motivation, there are countless answers, opinions and attempts by charities to hit the proverbial nail on the head. But today, I think I stumbled across an organisation that everyone could learn something from.

I was talking to my flatmate earlier. He’s not hugely into charities and by his own admission knows little about them. When we were at university, he barely gave to charity, but having had a personal connection with cancer recently, he now can’t walk past the shaking tins without chipping in.

During our breakfast time bimble through all things third sector, he said he was largely unconcerned with hearing about what his money was spent on. He lives happy in the knowledge that someone, somewhere will benefit from his donation and that’s enough. However, he did say he enjoyed hearing from a charity that seemingly has mastered the art of communicating impact with donors.

Step forward, LINK.

Liberty In North Korea is a charity that rescues people from oppression in North Korea. They freely admit that it’s almost impossible to extract people from the country itself, but the story goes that there are between 30,000 and 50,000 North Koreans who have escaped and are hiding in China. The Chinese have an agreement to forcibly repatriate any they discover, so it’s very much a question of keep your head down and hope for the best. Unless you have help, which is where LINK come in.

LINK needs to raise $2,500 to rescue someone. Via a modern day underground railway, they move people to a shelter, then provide all the support they need to resettle in another country, which is often (although not always) South Korea.

If you’re trying to communicate impact, you should see their website. Click on the ‘Year in Review’ and it shows you how many lives donors saved, with pictures of those liberated. It shows how many were resettled, how much was raised and there are stories of refugees' accomplishments. There are ideas of how to raise both money and awareness, plus the all-important ‘how much of your money was spent on the cause’. This is just the beginning.

One page shows how many refugees need funding right now. It encourages you to get into a ‘Rescue Team’. Raise $2,500 and you can completely fund the rescue of a specific person. Once they’re rescued, you’ll receive updates on what they’re doing, how they’re getting on and proof that your money helped save someone from being sent back to an uncertain reception in North Korea.

They offer internships, including being a Nomad. You’re sent out across the USA to spread the word, to “blow thousands of minds” on your mission. They talk of SHIFT, where they want you to get conversations to move onto the situation in North Korea. Social media? That’s covered too. Every time you share their video, that’s 25 cents for the cause.

It’s dramatic and emotive stuff, no question. A lot of charity material is of course. I’m guessing “So, if you chuck in a couple of quid, someone might eat a bit tonight” wouldn’t work (although no one has tried it).

But the difference between this organisation and the plethora of others that announce £3 a month could save someone’s life is clear to me. First, LINK are offering a cut-off point. $2,500 raised and you can all sit back down and give yourselves a pat on the back at making a tangible difference. If you did it at school, there’s a very achievable finish line and all manner of educational benefits.

Then there’s the ‘spy’ element. The mentions of your “mission.” Being part of a “Rescue Team.” You’re directly assisting someone in evading their Chinese and North Korean hunters. You’re part of masterminding their escape via an underground railway, eluding the authorities at every turn. One of your ‘team’ is behind enemy lines and you’re helping get them out. I’m not suggesting every charity should play this card, or that LINK even do it deliberately, but it jumped off the page to me. Giving just got exciting.

Like many charity’s causes, LINK’s work is unique. Living with my flatmate, I’ve heard a lot about North and South Korea, but never really thought about refugees before. It’s without a doubt the most impressive charity website I’ve seen - and I see many. If I donated to every one I read, nfpSynergy would have to pay my wages directly to the sector, but I’m about to donate to LINK.

There are definitely some tips to be picked up from their site about communicating impact. Take a look and let me know what you think. I’ll be in Piccadilly Circus at 7pm in dark glasses and a long black coat holding some pink carnations.

Have we LINK-ed this well? Or Korea-d off course? Leave us a comment below.