With no end to the press onslaught on fundraisers in sight, it is more important than ever that charities' senior leadership are fully on top of their fundraising operations. So it seems like a good time to announce my new service, the Fundraising Audit. It's designed to give leaders of nonprofits of any size an understanding of how … Continue reading And now for the plug..
fundraising
Making the case for fundraising
Who'd be a fundraiser? Another day of unrelenting UK media assault on our profession and many of us are probably wishing we'd chosen a more publicly acceptable career. Like estate agent or merchant banker. Drug dealer maybe. It's depressing and salutatory to see how a vendetta in the right wing tabloid press followed by the other news media. … Continue reading Making the case for fundraising
Is fundraising broken?
Until this weekend at least, it had been a quiet summer so far for news in the UK. We know this because the press have devoted a lot of front page space to stories about charity fundraising. It's nice to be noticed. Unfortunately when the right wing press* runs stories about fundraising, they aren't about all the amazing … Continue reading Is fundraising broken?
How to do face to face fundraising
This is part of the Islington stretch of Regent's Canal in London. One of my favourite city walks. The other day as I passed by the stretch of the canal, I was approached by a fundraiser, working for the Canal and Rivers' Trust. It was a lovely day, I was in a good mood and … Continue reading How to do face to face fundraising
And of course…there’s a video
Of our crazy six peaks mountain madness. Here it is Warning, it's really, really not for the faint-hearted. Or the remotely sensitive. Yes, there's dancing... To put an end to this horror, donate here. Please Or there might be more...
The Joy of Failure
I love failure. Fundraisers are in the changing the world business. Our job is to make extraordinary things happen. We are simply abdicating that responsibility if we don't take risks. Which means we must inevitably, from time to time, fail. If you haven't failed at something recently, you are not trying hard enough.
6 peaks, 6 countries, 72 hours
You've heard of the 3 Peaks Challenge, right? Or even the 4 Peaks which is basically the same thing but with added testosterone. These are, I proffer to you, for sensible people pussies*. Today's truly discerning charity challengeer (have I just made that word up?) laughs in the face of your paltry three peaks. And … Continue reading 6 peaks, 6 countries, 72 hours
Who really influences fundraisers?
It's that time of the year again. When Civil Society Fundraising magazine has its poll of the most influential people in UK fundraising. Now it's not true that my scepticism about this poll as a true measure of worth is due to my less than stellar performance in it. On a 5 year average, I think … Continue reading Who really influences fundraisers?
How to give effectively to emergency relief
How do we know who to give money to for disasters such as the recent Nepal earthquake. Misfit Foundation's Tobin Aldrich provides some easy to follow tips.
What’s the secret of a successful fundraising strategy?
As a (part-time*) member of the Honourable Society of Fundraising Consultants, Soothsayers and Allied Trades, I do quite a lot of fundraising strategies. And before my fall into darkness when I was an honest fundraising director, strategy was something I spent a lot of time on. So not really having got the hang of this … Continue reading What’s the secret of a successful fundraising strategy?
Fundraising Fundamentals 