mark phillips’ Post

This is a great listen from the master of relationship fundraising, Ken Burnett (with some searching questions 🎯 from mark phillips and Giles Pegram CBE) When I first started working with donors over fifteen years ago, I knew instinctively it wasn't about money, it was about relationships and trust. In many ways, the term fundraiser is forcing us to carry unhelpful baggage, focusing the spotlight, not on the ability to create change, but on whatever cash can be generated in the short term. As if the word 'charity' isn't carrying enough negativity from the Victorian era, with its connotations of someone having their hand out, instead of being the win-win situation that it should be. I so concur with Ken about fundraising - for the want of a better term - being first and foremost the business of inspiration. This is a skill that is rooted in how we communicate and use words, and critically, how we make people feel. Yet this does not seem to be nurtured or respected enough in our sector. The need to feel seen and heard is fundamental to us all and donors are no different. We don't need flashy new innovations to connect with them. Relationship fundraising works if organisations have the patience and empathy to apply it. Full episode here: https://lnkd.in/eFrGdEgU #fundraising #philanthropy

An important watch for everyone working to grow a strong base of general operating support through individual giving. This: “Despite evidence supporting Relationship Fundraising as the SOLE LONG-TERM STRATEGY guaranteed to boost lifetime and legacy giving, its widespread adoption seems to have been hindered by the delayed realisation of its benefits.” Most of the case studies we see are very short-term focused (the rare one being the Mer­chants Quay Ireland case study from Lisa Sargent, Denisa Casement, and Sandi Collette which you can find on SOFII). Also, the nonprofit sector wants everything for free and donor-centered fundraising requires investment. But what a return! 

𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮 𝗕𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘁𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳.......𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝘆: 👄 Please can I be more than just a target to hand out to individual fundraisers to reach in any way they can.... 👄 Please make me a realistic plan.  The more realistic I am, the more faith fundraising will have in bringing me to life. ↳ Rather than yet another reason to quit the job and the sector......(yep even your fictitious talking strategy has read those stats). 👄 Can we give fundraising more time to find and convert prospects - so they can build a loyal donor base. ↳ We already know the hand to mouth existence is kept alive by inadequate turn-around times. 👄 Can we stop waiting for ships to come in that no one has actually sent out. ↳ Fundraising, like the rest of the planet can only reap what it sows.  We need to build a network. After all, our network is our net worth! 👄 Can we agree the goal of fundraising is 𝗡𝗢𝗧 to save money but to make it. ↳ The low investment in fundraising is a high price to pay – when money moves the mission. 👄 If we want our case of support to sell can we make sure we're good at creating it.   ↳ Let's agree all donor communications delivers value for the reader/listener and never just facts about the charity. 👄 The highest form of value in the donors’ eyes is the result they want. ↳ Can we make sure we know what that is, so we can show how we meet their needs. 👄 Can we also agree the best ever ever ever donor retention tool is - meaningful impact! ↳ Enough said. 👄 As a strategy, I may give birth to a new fundraising event or income stream. If I do, it will be “our newborn” can we treat it as such, if another charity has been running the same thing for the last 5 years. ↳ Please can we 𝗡𝗢𝗧 compare our newborn to their 5 year old, it's just daft. 👄 Oh and by the way, a budget is 𝗡𝗢𝗧 a strategy. ↳ I'm the way we identify and solve the problems that stand between us and our targets. 👄 And our goals are 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬 destinations. ↳ I am the detailed map that is going to get us there. It's good to talk...... 😀

Are you on the hunt for a fundraising freelancer or consultant? Before you bring them on, there are plenty of things I'd recommend you prepare to make the process as smooth as possible. Understanding the type of fundraiser you want, and having all the information and documents they require ready will increase your chances of success. I've written a blog all about it to help you prepare for working with a consultant 👇 #FundraisingConsultant #FreelanceFundraiser

⭐How do you handle rejection?⭐ For trust fundraisers, rejection is (sadly) part of the job -  especially as trust fundraising gets ever more competitive.   But sometimes small charity boards or CEOs don't understand this, often leading to a sense of personal or organisational failure. This is wrong and can have a massive impact on confidence and wellbeing for whoever is doing the trust fundraising. My top tips for dealing with rejection when fundraising from trusts: 1. Manage expectations! Make sure everyone in the organisation who is invested in the application understands there will be rejections - it's just going to happen and isn't a reflection on the application, project or organisation. 2. Manage your own emotional investment. Once you've submitted the application, forget about it and move on to the next one, basically assume it's been unsuccessful unless you hear otherwise. 3. Submit more applications! Make sure you're submitting enough applications to build in the rejections - so one unsuccessful bid doesn't mean your project can't go ahead. I posted about this on LinkedIn a while ago and lots of trust fundraisers, consultants and charity leaders shared their own tips too.. 4. Reframe your thinking ‘I remind myself that the work that goes into an application is never wasted, even if unsuccessful - from word count limits helping us refine how we articulate our work and plans, to encouraging detailed thinking about things like project sustainability, risks and resourcing, it’s all ultimately useful and can always be repackaged for other potential funding partners.’ Helen Buckland 5. Manage up and grow board understanding of trusts fundraising ‘As a fundraising manager in small charities I invested time in making sure the Board and senior team had a good grounding in fundraising, (and to make sure the fundraising was grounded in org strategy!)’ Ali Lyons 6. Reach out to others for support ‘Managing expectations is key but also having someone you can go to and feel supported, with the wins and the losses'. Rich M. And as a final note, this fantastic advice from Michael Mitchell ‘I try really hard to remember that no matter how I might feel in the moment, no rejection is ever: Personal (it probably had nothing to do with me) Pervasive (this one rejection is not going to spill over into the rest of my life and ruin everything… aka the sky is not falling) Permanent (a no today is not necessarily a no forever)' ---------------------------------------------------------- My new trusts mentoring programme can help build confidence and push your trust fundraising forward. Drop me a message to learn more!

I often talk about the importance of building a fundraising-friendly culture - but what does this actually mean? It takes lots of things to enable really good fundraising but for me, the best fundraising organisations always: 🎉 Celebrate success - it's a tough time for fundraisers. We're burnt out, under pressure & hear no a lot. So when that big grant success comes in or an event smashes expectations, shout about it internally. 💭 Allow space for reflection - under pressure to deliver, fundraisers rush from activity to activity, leaving little time to reflect on what went well & how to improve things. Supporting your fundraisers to stop & think - and joining in that process constructively - makes for better fundraising. The best planning and debriefing meetings raise more money than most activities! 🎯 Set sensible targets - there's a place for targets - a fundraiser's life can actually be pretty tough without any - but they need to be realistic, carefully considered and planned in collaboration with your fundraisers, not imposed on them from above. 👨👩👧👧 Ask everyone to play a role - your whole team should know how to support fundraising by providing data, sharing updates, making introductions & contributing ideas. 💷 Invest in fundraising - don't expect success if you're not willing or able to put in place the required capacity, expertise & supporting resources. Your expectations (see above) have to be in proportion to your investment. If you can't invest properly in everything, narrow your focus to fewer activities that you can do well - don't spread yourself too thin. 🧠 Trust your experts - us fundraisers have been doing things for a long time & have a good feel for what a realistic return looks like & what we need to succeed. I KNOW you think we should just try writing to Bill Gates or plan a golf day, but trust our judgement yeah? ⚠ Balance risk and innovation - that said, some new ideas ARE worth trying, even if not guaranteed to succeed. Don't stifle innovation & growth by being too risk-averse. Often the biggest risk isn't trying something, but doing nothing new for 10 years & watching your 'safe' income streams dry up until it's too late to replace them. ❤️ Value your donors - they're people, not cash cows, no matter how short on time & money you are. The best fundraising charities say thank you brilliantly, prioritise building relationships, learn what makes donors tick & trust the money will follow. But wait, there's a caveat... ⚖ Take an ethical approach - sources of funding are complicated and donor behaviour sometimes needs calling out. Valuing your donors doesn't mean putting them on a pedestal, shying away from challenging them, or condoning everything they do (intentionally or not). An ethical fundraising policy is a starting point, but only effective if you empower your fundraisers to raise & debate concerns. What would you add? Suggestions welcome below ⬇️

#Funds #Fundraising #NGO #Strategy Creating a successful fundraising strategy can be the key to unlocking the resources your cause needs to thrive. Whether you're supporting a local charity, funding an innovative startup, or rallying for social change, having a well-thought-out plan is essential. It’s not just about asking for money; it’s about building relationships and engaging supporters in meaningful ways. More info- https://lnkd.in/gG_3BB2Y

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻..... The fundraising is leading the way.  Obviously you need to know you have money before you spend it (or at least be super confident it's coming in). But if the plan is "send fundraisers out to get money in at all costs" - even if that means inventing new projects (while your existing ones still need funding) - then you're: ➡️ 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀. ➡️ 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 - 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆'𝗿𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗮𝗸 𝘂𝗽 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗱 (𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲). The signs you're heading for trouble usually include: ❌  You don't have a clear theory of change - you have a vision and mission but no road map of how you're going to achieve it.  And yet your objective is to grow. ❌  You don't have a robust organisational strategy - you have goals, budget and a timeline, but no real plan to solve the problems that stand between where you are now and where you want to be.  And yet your objective is to grow. ❌  You don't have rigorous impact measurement and evaluation (or worse you have hyped up and exaggerated impact measurement).  And yet your objective is to grow. Fundraising is an invitation to donors to join you on a mission to make the changes you want to see in the world. 📌 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 - 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗲. I appreciate, plans need to be flexible and there is a constant stream of curve balls like pandemics, wars, elections and a cost of living crisis.... But well led charities flex, delay, change or compromise their plans to stay on mission.  They don't go adrift and justify incoming opportunities (whatever they are) as strategic choices. Even though it sounds like a fundraiser's dream come true to fundraise from anyone anyhow.  It's actually really hard. If you don't have a compelling vision, evidence you're making some headway, sensible plans, other funders on board and credible leaders.  You're not a good funding choice. And in a world where funders are overwhelmed by choice - not being a good one makes fundraising incredibly difficult. Successful charities are on a distinct mission fueled by fundraising - it's never a straight line but they ARE forging their own path. The tail is not wagging the dog because they have - a theory of change, an organisational plan that actually addresses their problems and impact measurement to monitor progress. So they can afford to set growth goals. If your charity is setting growth goals without that planning - buckle up you're gonna get wagged.... 🐶

Valuable insight!

📅 Mark Your Calendars: New Fundraiser Launching January 4, 2025! 📅 🚀 Redefine Success: Join 'You Are A Game Changer' in Re-Writing the Rules Fundraiser! 🚀 I’m excited to announce our latest initiative kicking off in the New Year! Starting January 4, 2025, we’re launching the "You Are A Game Changer: Re-Writing the Rules" tee shirt fundraiser, and we need your support to make it a success. 🔹 Purpose: This fundraiser aims to assist in future speaking engagements and book endorsements, spreading our message of empowerment and strategic thinking to a wider audience. 🔹 Goal: We are aiming to sell at least 150 tee shirts to fuel our mission. Your contribution will help us reach more people and create a lasting impact. Tee Shirt Details: Front: Features the empowering phrase "You Are a Game Changer: Re-Writing the Rules." Back: Displays the motivating phrases "Embrace Your Inner GameChanger" and "Reach Beyond Your Potential," alongside the image of The GameChanger Perspective book cover. How You Can Help: Order Your Tee Shirt: Be one of the first to get your Game Changers tee shirt and support our cause. Spread the Word: Share this campaign with friends, family, and on social media to help us reach our goal. Get Involved: Join us in re-writing the rules and redefining success. Let’s kick off 2025 by making a difference together. Your support will pave the way for more inspiring speaking engagements and valuable book endorsements, helping us change the game for many more people. Join the movement and order your tee shirt starting January 4, 2025! #RedefineSuccess #GameChanger #Fundraiser #NewYearNewGoals #OscarJStarrIII #Empowerment #ChangeTheGame https://lnkd.in/gzWHzDm9