You know that moment when, in a fit of enthusiasm you've agreed to do something and then the full enormity of what you've committed yourself to dawns. I had this when earlier this year, Peter Muffet challenged me to do a Lands End to John O' Groats bike ride. He later told me he was … Continue reading Aiming high is never a mistake
Author: Tobin Aldrich
So we’re quite proud of this
Big appeals and scary targets
Today Sightsavers launches our biggest ever appeal. A Million Miracles is our campaign to raise $50m (£30m) to fund 1 million sight restoring operations by 2018. To make a million people see again. This is big, scary stuff. All fundraising is about risk but we've really gone for it. The appeal Has the biggest target … Continue reading Big appeals and scary targets
Mad challenges and ludicrous targets
As anybody who has had to endure my constant wittering on about it can tell you, I've just completed the most extreme fundraising challenge of my life. With my friend Peter Muffet and 800 other misguided souls I cycled from Lands End to John o'Groats in 9 days. (The length of what at the time … Continue reading Mad challenges and ludicrous targets
My top ten blog posts of all time*
I've been looking at stats for this blog and so far the most popular posts are these (in order);Fundraising Myths: No 2: You can't fundraise without awarenessSeven Secrets of Successful Fundraising*What's wrong with Oxfam?Fundraising Myths: The full listFundraising Myths: No 1: Cheap is good, free is betterWhy Fundraising Awards Are EvilWhy I hate eventsThings I … Continue reading My top ten blog posts of all time*
Are we asking for the right things?
We all know what we want from companies, right? Cash, lots of it, for our fabulous and vital work. And because just about every charity in the world (apart from the likes of Greenpeace who are too pure to sully themselves in this way…) is wanting corporate $$, we charities scrap like very scrappy things … Continue reading Are we asking for the right things?
The Joy of Fundraising
Now, as you know, I'm fundraising director. People often assume that a fundraising director, you know, actually fundraises. Now I can see how they came to that conclusion but it is almost completely mistaken. The amount of time the average fundraising director spends actually asking people for money is really small (scientists have calculated it* … Continue reading The Joy of Fundraising
Getting the board to invest
I've been having a few conversations recently with charities struggling to get their boards to agree to invest in their fundraising. It's a common problem and I quite often get asked to advise on the best ways to overcome board reluctance to put money into growing fundraising. Now I don't think I have to convince … Continue reading Getting the board to invest
What the Great War can teach us
A historian always enjoys one of their pet subjects becoming topical and so it is with the World War 1 anniversary. While it would be nice if some of the commentary was better informed (the war didn't break out on August 4th 1914 for a start) and more balanced (what about the voices for peace, … Continue reading What the Great War can teach us
Travelling the hard way
I honestly don't know how this happened. I get these rushes of blood to the head and, before I know it, I have agreed to do something really stupid. So I am spending 9 days in September cycling from Lands End to John O'Groats with a bunch of maniacs in lycra. That's 969 miles, or … Continue reading Travelling the hard way
Fundraising Fundamentals 