Guest blogger Caroline Danks of LarkOwl lifts the lid on cross-disciplinary learnings that can take corporate fundraising to the next level.

There are so many traits shared by fundraising across the board.

On the whole (barring a few notable exception who shall not be named) we are resilient, creative, warm, hard-working, committed, motivated and socially conscious.

I’ve observed over nearly 20 years in the sector that there are definitely some traits which are typical to one type of fundraiser over another.

Now, I don’t speak on behalf of ALL trust fundraisers and I certainly don’t want to make assumptions or generalisations about my friends in corporate fundraising (or have them throw rotten tomatoes at me anytime soon…).

And whilst I reckon that corporate fundraisers are AWESOME (you guys have a HARD job and my utmost respect), here are some suggestions for those of you who want to inject a little trust fundraiser magic into their work (if you’re not already doing these of course 😊).

1. Research and prepare

We trust fundraisers LOVE research. Not just the obvious stuff in a funders’ accounts but also the wonderfully random information available widely on the interweb (Google – I’m looking at you).

Corporates require a more sophisticated ask than trusts. You have a veritable spider web of options for reaching out and getting to know them better. Much more so than the typical route taken by a trust fundraiser (research, phone, write application, get funding).

Next time you’re looking at a new supporter, go deeper than you normally would into your research and spend some time mapping out:

Company activities, geographic location, history, competitors
Find their why – what is the problem they’re trying to solve?
Who are their directors, shareholders, senior staff members? Are they connected to anyone from your charity?
Who are the decision makers at the company? What are their interests? Which networking events do they go to? Have they written articles on LinkedIn? What are their opinions?
Do they work in partnership with anyone else?

All of this information will help you to form better partnership proposals and have better conversations.

2. Outputs, outcomes, impact and speaking their language

Gifts from trusts often require more in-depth monitoring and reporting than those from corporates.

Because so many trust fundraisers also have experience in grant fundraising, they are often really good at articulating and quantifying the difference a gift has made.

During a Bright Spot Members Club webinar I attended a while back, Tom Hall from UBS informed us that major donors (especially those who are self-made) expect their gifts to act as investments with measurable benefits.

Leaders at the top of successful companies (and therefore the people that you’re seeking to work with) want this too because they are often the same people.

To better quantify the impact of your work:

Spend some time with your project staff and finance teams.
Work out how the benefits and impact of a gift have translated in financial terms.
Seek to demonstrate that the return on investment you’re delivering is the best value it can possible be.
Articulate it simply and clearly – get a colleague (a trusts and foundations colleague mayve?) to check your work.

3. Focus not on the activities but on the outcomes and the cost of delivering the work.

Rather than showing your prospective corporate supporter how they can ‘donate to a charity’, demonstrate how they can ‘solve a problem’ or ‘change the world’.

Be clear also on sustainability (loads of trusts are now asking this question).

No one really wants to fund projects in perpetuity and charities are being encouraged more and more to seek forms on income generation to support their ongoing work.

4. Be specific and a bit geeky when it comes to target setting

Because grant making trusts often provide quite a predictable stream of income and one on which many charities tend to lean heavily, trust fundraisers are often quite specific about target setting.

The potential for repeat gifts from trusts is also high when you deliver on their expectations (same with corporates – think long term here!)

Know from your research and your conversations with your colleagues at each company you’re working with:

What their typical giving is. Is their COY partnership a set amount each year for example?
What has their charitable giving achieved in the past? They might not know – get them to find out…
What have similar relationships with other corporates yielded for your charity in the past?
How warm are each of your relationships? How close are you to making an ask and how long will it take for the cash to materialise (this depends on the method you’re using to fundraise)
ROI for corporate fundraising is low at the start but grows over time, £3 / £4 for every £1 spent is a good guide

Caroline is an expert in trusts and foundations, major gifts and capital appeals and has raised millions for good causes and runs LarkOwl with her partner Tony which supports charities with income generation from fundraising and commercial sources.

She writes a weekly blog which she shares with over 2,000 fundraisers every week via LarkOwl’s Nest Egg newsletter. Her writing has been featured in Fundraising Magazine.

For the past three years, LarkOwl have published research on the Return on Investment for different areas of fundraising. Their recent report published in September 2021 can be downloaded for free from their website.

Want to learn more about trusts or corporate fundraising?

Join us at our Grants Conference in December.

Check out Corporate Partnerships Everywhere Conference 2023 coming up in March, too.

Written by Jo McGuinness MInstF(Dip), Head of Philanthropy & Partnerships at Children 1st

Dear recruiting managers,

I write this to you as something needs to change with the traditional way of recruiting.

This sector is great, but whilst we champion wellbeing, diversity and fairness externally in our charitable work, we are failing those who seek to support these efforts as potential employees.

Back in April 2021 the role I’d held for almost 4 years was highlighted for redundancy. I launched into job hunting immediately – as the sole earner in my family, I had to have an income.

A countdown clock started ticking to find a suitable role; a role I could stay in for a couple of years, remote working and a minimum salary so I could provide for my family.

Between April - September, I applied for 31 jobs, averaging 5 per month.

In total, including looking at job boards, researching roles and organisations, time spent writing covering letters, copying and pasting info from my CV into applications forms, preparing interview answers, fulfilling task briefs and the interviews themselves, I spent in excess of 70 hours job hunting.

70 hours roughly equates to 11 hours of work each month over and above my day job.

Job hunting currently is taking place against a background of a UK in crisis. We’ve got so used to the constant hum of tension, fear and anger that it’s easy to think we can all push on as usual and expect what we expected in 2019.

We can’t. People are struggling.

Job seekers feel fear even more acutely than before Covid-19, everything is more precarious and different things, such as an employer’s home working or maternity policies, are more important than before.

Appreciate the power dynamic. Do what you can to rebalance it.

The minute a job seeker looks at your advert they are on the back foot. Everything is done to your standard; your schedule and they are at your mercy. Anything you can put in place to make the process fairer, more transparent and kinder – the more applicants you will get.

Of the 31 roles I applied for, only 17 offered a conversation for interested candidates. As a job seeker, I cannot tell you just how useful those conversations are for candidates. They shed light on what’s important to you and your organisation and you get a feel for the humans behind the ad.

Of the 17 conversations offered (I took them all up), only 4 were with the actual recruiting manager – all others were with recruiters. Still of value but less insightful.

Please don't forget your manners.

Of the 31 applications made, 5 didn’t notify me at all of whether I was successful or not (I assume not!). Given the average time I spent on an application was over 2 hours, letting applicants know if they’ve been successful or not – a two-minute email, seems a polite thing to do.

Candidates in this sector are often partly drawn to roles due to an affinity or appreciation of your cause, so ask yourself – would you simply not reply to a potential donor if they contacted you?

Not having time isn’t a valid excuse. Make time.

While we are on making time and doing the work, please provide useful, constructive feedback.

It’s disheartening to invest time only to receive no useful feedback on why your application wasn’t progressed. It also asks questions about the transparency of the process.

Some of the no-so-helpful feedback I received when unsuccessful included;

“It was a really competitive process and I don’t have exact feedback on what was lacking in your application I’m afraid.”

“Having had such a good response to the advert, I have selected another candidate for the role with more relevant experience.”

Ugh.

Equally as frustrating is vague feedback given post-interview where you leave the candidate unsure as to what exactly you wanted to see. An example of this was when I was told by the recruiting manager that they “hadn’t really seen my personality” in the interview.

What does that mean?

What am I to do with that feedback?

Please, check your feedback is specific and something that the candidate can improve upon for similar roles in future. You may not see this as your responsibility, but it is. The candidate has given their time, if you have offered feedback you have the responsibility to ensure it is constructive.

Don't think we don't see the red flags.

Employee expectations have changed since 2019. We know that work can be done on the whole, equally as effectively at home.

We can build incredible relationships in the virtual space.

We know it’s better for our health and well-being to spend time doing things we want to do rather than sitting in traffic or on a train.

Roles requiring hybrid working without clear rationale are popping up more on job boards, and it’s not clear why.

If this includes your role, really question yourself – why have I put a requirement for the post holder to come into the office 2 days a week? Is it because there are specific tasks that can only be completed in person? If so, make those tasks clear in the advert.

If you don’t have tasks that can’t be done remotely but you still ‘need’ someone in the office then challenge yourself.

Are you coming from a place of privilege where cost of travel isn’t a big factor for you so paying that to ‘enjoy’ time in the office feels reasonable?

Are you someone who likes the hubbub in an office? Great, but that doesn’t mean others feel the same.

Do you want to see your direct reports busy working, or have them near you in case you need to performance manage?

Yes? Then send yourself on a management training course immediately for the benefit of yourself and your employees.

I pushed back on numbers of days mandatory office working with so many of the roles I applied for and if it wasn’t so frustrating the responses would be funny;

“Well, we have an office and the trustees want us to use it.”

“We need someone from fundraising to be around in case a supporter wants to drop cash in or collect a bucket.”

“We need you to be available for any last-minute meetings.”

Stop it, you're embarrassing yourselves.

Other red flags include;

Not being willing to offer flexible working
Requesting in-person interviews, (typically in London) for remote based roles advertised as UK wide
Not having time to speak to a candidate either prior to or following the interviews
Not being clear on the salary band,
Requiring irrelevant educational qualifications
Or stating ‘equivalent experience’ but not defining what you mean by that.

My absolute favourite red flag is the phrase that needs to be banned with immediate effect;

‘the candidate will need to hit the ground running’.

Usually accompanied by other delightful descriptors such as;

‘fast-paced environment’ and;

‘wants to live and breathe the success of the team and the charity.’

Let’s be frank. Most of us need a job because we have bills to pay. We work in the sector because we choose to, and mostly because it’s a great place to be.

We don’t work here because we want to join a role without suitable induction plans in place, where expectations will be heaped upon you from the get-go, which is what ‘hitting the ground running’ is code for.

Or where we are expected to live and breathe our job. We can care, of course we care – and we should. But please, your candidates are only human. They have other interests and a fair expectation of support and a positive work/life balance.

By including statements like these you are giving an insight into the potentially negative culture, and unachievable expectations the candidate can expect.

Go back, work on that, and recruit once that’s in a better place, or – be honest. You need a candidate to hit the ground running because the workload is 50% more than it should be. In which case, pay more too.

This isn't to say all practise out there is bad, its not. There are shining stars. I just wish I'd seen more of them.

And they aren’t hard things to do. Every recruiting manager could take up at least 1 or 2 of these examples;

Show the salary and remove all unnecessary educational qualifications.
Run your adverts and candidate packs through gender bias software, available free here.
Reduce your essential/desirable criteria down to the bare minimum. You shouldn’t need more than a few points.
Don’t ask candidates to complete your own application forms. CVs and covering letters are ok, but even better (and more supportive of diversity, inclusion and accessibility as it prevents unconscious bias), is to ask candidates to answer anonymous screening questions relevant to the role.
Share the interview questions in advance. Lots of folk are trying this now (like Fundraising Everywhere, see Matt Smith’s twitter post). The results are overwhelmingly positive. Doing this supports accessibility, different kinds of thinkers, or those who struggle with nerves.
Share the grading criteria you have used and make time for specific and constructive feedback.

I see the sector’s recruitment practice improving almost every day as more recruiting managers challenge themselves to do better, but we can do better and faster.

So, my challenge to you is, are you going to get on board or get left behind?

Yours,

All frustrated job seekers out there

Want more content like this?

Check out the *free* webinar Jo spoke at on this topic: How to recruit talented people in 2022.

I couldn’t sleep on Thursday night. I started going over a conversation in my mind from the Events Fundraising Virtual Summit session I’d run that afternoon.

It was a 40 minute round table session to share the of impact redundancy and furlough on events and events fundraisers. Many stories and experiences were bravely shared and it really struck me that for many there hasn’t been a proper opportunity to reflect on the experience of redundancy and furlough. As well as to share and hear from others in a similar boat.

A lot of this is still very raw.

Some of the common themes that came up included:

Reduced Team Size & resource constraints.
Feelings of isolation.
Feeling like events fundraising got the worst deal/suffered the most – whereas other areas of fundraising were more “pandemic proof”.
Many cancelled events – feeling a lot of hard work had gone to waste.
Anxiety not knowing how long furlough would last.
Plus guilt and sadness for colleagues who weren’t so lucky and lost their job.
Taking a backwards step career-wise or needing to learn new skills fast as having to fill gaps where needed.
Knocked confidence, feelings of low self-worth & low self-esteem.
Ongoing recruitment freezes.
Events staff seconded to other roles.
Expectations/internal pressure that a smaller events team can still deliver on same programme/strategy.
Sense of loss and no closure.

We’re being told that life should bounce back now, but with all the limitations and challenges the pandemic has brought, on top of the mental load of this period of trauma, much of which hasn’t been acknowledged or dealt with, how can we get back to normal events fundraising? What even is normal?

The following are some things that have helped my members within The Collective, a community I run for Event Fundraisers. Maybe they’ll help you too.

Talking about and sharing your experiences with peers.

Knowing you’re not alone in your feelings can be so helpful. Admitting how hard you’ve found this and how the effects are still being felt, is a healthy first step. There is absolutely no weakness in admitting how hard this has been and continues to be. In fact, it takes courage and strength.

Use coaching questions to address the challenges you are experiencing with your manager and wider team.

When we’re feeling anxious and overwhelmed it is harder to think logically. Coaching questions can help ground us and re-engage our and others’ logical brains. Keep asking questions of yourself and those around you.

Ceri Sunu delivered a fantastic session on Winning Minds & Buy-In for your Events at the Summit. Ceri shared some coaching models that can be utilised when you want to influence others, including more senior colleagues.

These questions can be used in other situations too. For example, when you’re given yet another piece of work or another event to plan and you know you’re already at capacity, how about asking;

What is the priority here?

What do we want to achieve by doing this?

What could we do differently?

What’s the impact of doing that event? Or not doing that event?

Be mindful

Try and make a habit of taking time out of your week to reflect on the past 7 days; what lessons have been learnt, challenges and wins and then what your focus will be going forward. You can do this individually or as a team. In The Collective we do this weekly as part of our regular Thursday Catch Ups. These periods of reflection help you pause within the chaos, untangle experiences and spot patterns and meaning.

Recognise there may now be better ways to do things than in 2019.

This could be a fantastic time to instil some new ways of working for yourself and your wider team or organisation. There might be different events that work better than the ones you used to do, a more hybrid approach to your events to ensure accessibility and maximise participation, there might be different ways to divide the workload up, different systems you can use, different processes. Don’t forget your audience have also been through a traumatic 2 years. Their needs, wants and desires may well have changed too. If you’re not sure, ask them.

Be compassionate and understanding of yourself and others.

If the Summit roundtable proved anything it was that these feelings are not isolated cases. This is widespread and it is unchartered territory. Your leaders haven’t been in this situation before either and therefore some mistakes are inevitable. They may be under enormous pressure which is getting filtered down to you.

It might feel like there is major catching up to do after so long without in-person events and so long out of the office but remember that the smallest steps, those little 1% tweaks over time amount to big change.

Just as it took us several months to get our heads around lockdowns and covid restrictions, it will take a period of adjustment to move into this next phase.

You’re not alone

I started The Collective right at the start of the pandemic as a place to get more peer support, a safe space to share and bounce ideas around with other forward-thinking event fundraisers, plus attend training and workshops for continued professional development so fundraisers can thrive and do their best work. If that sounds like you, give me a shout.

The Collective is always open for new members and this is a great time to join.

5 Top Tips For Epic Fundraising Creative

Written by Alex Aggidis

The fundraiser and designer relationship.

It can sometimes be a tricky one to navigate, right?

We’ve all been there. Some feedback that didn’t land quite right. Or a missed brief.

Authentic creative is personal, and with negative feedback (however well-meaning) feelings can get hurt.

At the same time, when assets take an unexpected turn it can be problematic for our schedules.

Read our 5 tops tips to keep fundraiser and designer relationships harmonious and, more importantly, delivering engaging and compelling creative.

1. Make the most of your skillsets

As fundraisers, we have a deep understanding of the mechanics behind an ‘ask’. We’re also closest to the results.

Still, we shouldn’t write briefs that are so prescriptive it kills the creative process (we’re speaking from experience here!).

Sit down with your designer when the brief is still at draft stage.

That way all ideas can be discussed, the brief can be strengthened, and you’re less likely to get surprises at first round.

2. Keep talking

With many of us still working remotely, it’s even more important we prioritise strong and timely communication.

When our designers start their work, ideas can pop up very dynamically.

Try to be available on email to answer questions when they’re booked to work on your activity.

Or, even better, on the phone.

3. Agree the right touchpoints

Managing expectations and agreeing rounds of feedback before the work starts (and sticking to it) is a must.

Unexpected rounds and last-minute changes can be a real buzzkill.

The more organised we are, the more willing our designers will be to help when inevitable complications do arise, and we really need them.

4. Be willing to take a few risks

The fundraising market is as competitive as ever and we need to ensure we continue to get cut through.

A good designer will keep pushing our boundaries and help us keep things fresh for our audiences.

We need to be open to that.

5. Remember to have fun!

The creative process can be one of the most exciting parts of developing our campaigns.

Bringing to life the propositions that will capture the hearts of our supporters and raise vital income for our causes.

Enjoy it!

How to organise and run fundraising events in 2022

How to run a fundraising event in 2022

Restrictions are changing to allow more freedom but supporter attitudes and safety considerations still make it tricky to plan confidently.

Online events have evolved beyond Facebook groups and mass participation to include virtual stewardship and multi-level engagement.

And digital experiences and expectations have become more expected from participants who have enjoyed two years of choice and control on where and how they get involved.

Where do you begin?!

On Thursday, January 27th, sixteen fundraising event and communication experts will be speaking at the virtual conference, Events Fundraising Virtual Summit.

The conference is for events fundraisers and fundraisers tasked with organising events with donors in 2022 and will give a comprehensive overview into the important aspects of event planning and what you need to do now to succeed.

Here are a few of our session highlights – keep reading to the end for a special offer (and freebies!)

How we created an award-winning virtual event

Phare Ponleu Selpak were the winners of the ‘Best Innovation in Online Events’ at the 2021 Charity Virtual Event Awards for their virtual circus.

When the pandemic hit, Phare Ponleu Selpak’s key source of income was under threat from the disappearance of tourist income. Their important mission was to attract local visitors whilst pivoting successfully to virtual in 2021.

Executive Director, Osman Khawaja, joins us to share what went into the 24hr event that included 31 shows and 160 staff and volunteers.

How to host hybrid events supporters want to attend

Angie’s work caught our eye as one of the first organisations to successfully use hybrid events and champion their potential.

In 2021, Houston Ballet held their first hybrid gala that raised 150% of their financial target. Chief Development Officer, Angie Lane, will be sharing what she knows about planning a strategy, engaging with donors, and how to measure success.

Why we’re hosting in-person only events in 2022 and how we’re planning in the unknown

This session is a wild card for us…

You know we’re advocates of virtual events for accessibility and reach, but we are curious by Muscular Dystrophy’s decision to move ahead with an in-person only programme for 2022 and just how they were planning in the uncertainty – so we invited Head of Events, Krishan Solanki, to tell us more!

A key takeaway from this session will be their approach to contingency planning and how they give their in-person events the best chance of going ahead before deciding to cancel, pivot, or postpone.

Winning minds and buy-in for your 2022 events

Leadership coach, Ceri Suni, joins us for a live workshop so you can head back to work armed not only with the knowledge to host events in 2022, but the confidence and tools to win over your decision-makers.

You’ll get the skills to push-back without being pushy and save your ideas from stakeholder stagnation.

Coupled with the interactive and live elements throughout the conference, you’ll head back to the work the following day with action points, a plan, and the confidence to lead your team to events fundraising success!

*Special offer*

If you are an events fundraiser that’s been made redundant or you’ve spent some time during the pandemic furloughed, your ticket is completely free. We want to make sure you don’t lose any skills in your career break and bring you up to speed with what’s happening in fundraising events today. Contact hello@fundraisingeverywhere.com to claim yours. No proof needed, we trust you.

For everyone else, tickets are just £75 or find two friends and claim a 3 for 2 discount (promo code EventsSummit3+). With insights that will help you overachieve on your fundraising targets in 2022, it’s a small investment work making.
The event will be recorded so you don’t need to be free on Thursday to learn (although there are lots of live elements to get stuck into if you can) and Members will get continued support post-event with specialist coaching calls. Becoming a Member is just £30 a month – check out the benefits here.

January's guest blogger is Elizabeth Archer (known as Ed). Ed has held strategic roles at Mencap, Ambitious about Autism, Contact and is currently Head of Services & Service design at Toynbee Hall. She specializes in designing systems and structures that serve communities in the way they want and need. This has included supporting people experiencing structural inequality to influence local and national policy, supporting organisations to improve the way they listen to and work alongside the people they serve and finding ways to build fairness and transfer of power into our everyday ways of working.

Recently I feel like every conversation about recruitment is the same. The accepted knowledge is that at the moment it's really hard to find great people to work in the charitable sector. A question often posed is, 'in the midst of the great resignation when people are searching for meaningful jobs, why aren't people applying for this great role in my team?'

At Toynbee Hall our whole mission is to make London a fairer and happier place, and so when we were looking to answer this question we asked, is this about fairness? Is the sector struggling because while we think we’re offering up roles to everyone we’re accidentally shutting a lot of people out?

Our HR team has long championed removing emotive (and ableist) words like energetic as well as irrelevant qualifications from our job descriptions. And over the last year with their support our services, research and policy teams have gone further. We’ve collaborated and experimented with loads of ways to encourage applications from a broader range of talented people. Some innovations (community panel workshops, paid interview time) are still at testing stage, or only happening in particular relevant teams. Others we’ve adopted wholesale. Here’s the top three any organisation can do today:

Make your personal specification about the job, not the candidate in your imagination.

We’ve stopped asking 'who is your ideal candidate?' when building a role description. It’s unhelpful and limiting. It hadn’t escaped our notice that recruiting managers would often describe themselves earlier in their career or people they’ve worked with in the past. And in a sector that isn’t as diverse as it should be that’s problematic. Instead, when we've identified a capacity need, we start by checking we're clear on what that 'need' actually is. What does the role exist to do? Then we think about what tasks go into getting that done. We use this to ask ourselves, 'what skills would I need to do those tasks?' Those become our personal specifications.

Just that. What skills do we need?

Realising it's not for us to dictate how someone gained those skills broke the recruitment field right open for us. We found ourselves meeting candidates with wildly different life experiences who wanted to (and could) do the jobs we were advertising. People who we could never have shortlisted if we'd scored on experience rather than skills. So pay attention to your personal spec. Filter out anything in the spec that isn’t going to make a difference when they are doing the job. It’s about equity folks, you want the best person for the job, not just the person who most closely fits the picture in your head.

2. Advertising

We advertised in different places. Yes, we still used Charity Jobs and The Guardian, but we supplemented this by local advertising - in community and mutual aid groups, in non-specialist recruitment sites, through our own newsletter. This move was so cheap it was practically free - and it was so effective. It turns out that when you work in a sector that isn’t quite as diverse as it should be, where we assume it’s obvious to look for jobs, isn’t obvious at all to talented candidates from other sectors. We’ve had applications from really experienced community members who worked in other sectors and who had never before considered working for us, but who were convinced of a values fit with us after seeing that we work hard to ensure local people know about jobs going here.

3. Transparency from day one

We play fair in the job pack. Applying for jobs is hard. As a job seeker, it’s difficult to know what will most interest a recruiter, what you should spend your time and space talking about. It often feels like a game you’ve been asked to play without anyone telling you the rules. And we’ve changed that. In our job packs, we describe in detail how we go about scoring applications to make it as clear as possible how to do well. Immediately we saw that we were getting fewer applications that we couldn’t shortlist - the quality of the information given was improving. Candidates understood that anything not stated couldn’t be scored. And we ended up shortlisting better candidates.

Three things, almost free. And they’ve allowed us to recruit a brilliant, diverse and incredibly talented cohort of team members in the last year.

I really hope these tips are useful, and I want to be honest, we're getting better, but we aren't there yet. This is an ongoing process of learning. Just last month I did a (paid) review of an application pack with an incredible applicant who we couldn't shortlist. I discovered so much I could do next time to make the next job more accessible to her.

I want to keep learning, we all do. I hope your next recruitment goes well - let me know what you learn from it.

I love to learn and connect - you can find me @edarcherthinks on Twitter.

To learn more about how to recruit talented people, come along to our free webinar on Thursday 20th January.

Are we moving forward digitally?

At Fundraising Everywhere & Everywhere+, we’re an organisation made up of fundraisers. With over 50 years of experience between us, it’s safe to say, we’ve seen our fair share of change in the sector. And it won’t be a surprise for you to hear that we feel deeply connected to and passionately about purpose-driven organisations, and how they are fairing as they work to make the world a better place.

That’s why we were at the front of the queue when The Status of UK Fundraising 2021 was released. We’ve gone through it, line by line, and have reflected on what the findings mean for our fellow fundraisers, fundraising and charities, today.

It’s year 4 of Blackbaud Europe and JustGiving’s annual benchmarking report, and, nearly 2 years on from the last report, we were encouraged to read of the signs of hope returning to the sector. Charities have adapted and have learned to do things differently. It’s something we’ve witnessed first hand, as more and more organisations have made the leap to virtual through our Everywhere+ platform, connecting with their donors and beneficiaries in new and exciting ways. Digital has enabled so much for charities during the pandemic, from program delivery to, of course, fundraising. But, the question we’re asking ourselves now is, where does this leave us today? Are we really moving forward digitally?

“Only one in 10 UK non-profits would describe themselves as ‘digital experts’ – but those organisations are more likely to be gaining supporters faster, growing their income, and feeling more optimistic about the future. There is so much to gain from the power of digital – the benefits for any non-profit are clear – and we hope that those sitting on the fence about whether to embark upon their own journey can take confidence in these findings and make the move forward.” - The Status of UK Fundraising 2021

The report surveyed non-profit professionals from small (48%, income <£1m), medium (32%, income £1-10m) and large organisations (20%, income £10m<). There were slightly more fundraising managers surveyed (35%) versus experienced junior fundraisers (24%). Directors, CEOs, or Trustees made up the rest of the respondents. One of the overarching findings of the report is that, though charities investing in digital transformation are seeing financial reward, there is still scepticism in the sector as to its value and importance. The report cites that over 60% of individuals surveyed agree that;

Digital transformation is critical to success.
Technology is used to improve the way their organisation operates.
Data is used to improve performance.

Though only 12% of respondents have described themselves as digitally mature, with 1-in-8 charities (13%) not considering digital transformation important. Encouragingly, 2-in-5 (39%) of charities are adopting digital and are optimistic about new technologies.

In the following sections, we’ll take you through our response to the report, and the themes we think are most important for you to consider moving forward; investment in digital capacity building, using technology effectively and how to choose the right partner. We’ll wrap up with our top tips going forward no matter where you are in your digital journey.

Why everyone needs to invest in digital capacity building

“But whilst the pandemic has pushed some to develop their digital maturity, a clear gap is emerging between those that are embracing everything that digital has to offer, and those that remain sceptical.” - The Status of UK Fundraising 2021

It’s troubling to read that there are almost as many digital sceptics as there are experts, but it’s not surprising.

Fundraisers at smaller organisations have way too much to do and not a lot of time to do it in. With the fast pace of digital, it can be hard to jump on the wagon and stay onboard. It can feel overwhelming and often, at times, without reward. It’s comforting to stick with what you know.

On too many virtual events we’ve hosted for charities on our virtual platform, Everywhere+, we’ve been privy to green-room chat that goes along the lines of, ‘oh, I don’t like this/don’t know how to work it. I can’t wait to get back to in-person things…’ and it’s apparent that the concern of the ‘unknown’ is what holds us back; ‘I don’t understand this so I don’t support it.’ This may resonate with many of you reading this right now.

And there lies a key problem; the people at the top signing off both strategic and budget decisions often don’t ‘get it'. And so the responsibility falls on a fundraiser to both educate and campaign for even a slither of digital support in a world that’s moved on before they get the green light. Of course, you’d abandon these efforts because you have very little time to keep the money coming through from the already embedded programmes.

But there is hope and opportunity. Thankfully, there are many leaders out there with the foresight to see that digital is key to success with and for our donors.

Adopting digital transformation doesn’t mean giving up on non-digital methods. It means they’re integrated and used better.

Using technology effectively

We all know the importance of data, and using it effectively. As fundraisers, it tells you how to engage with your donors about the issues that matter most to them. As well as how to do this in a way that gives you the best chance of raising vital cash for your causes. The report reveals that organisations that use CRM systems are more likely to see their income increasing.

Specifically that;

43% of organisations that use a CRM saw an increase in income over the last year
With income decreasing for 41% of those without a CRM

With the survey reporting that overall income has decreased again this year (now a 3-year trend), and fundraising targets proving more difficult to meet, how can charities use technology to support them to meet their fundraising goals?

Nearly 88% of digital experts said their organisations provide digital tools and technology that enable their people to work more effectively, vs an alarming 53% of all respondents. It’s clear many in the sector need support in this area. And with nearly 47% of participants reporting a lack of digital leadership to drive the transformation, it’s clear that this push needs to come from those on the ground. Compelling cases for support will help inspire leaders and instil the confidence they need to unlock investment into their people and the future of their organisations.

We don’t need this report to tell us that many are still recovering financially from the pandemic and that concerns of the economic situation are still very much front of mind. However, the numbers are clear. Without investment into the basics, it’s a false economy and organisations are setting themselves up for failure.

On the other hand, it was inspiring to read that organisations classified as 'Digital Experts’ scored the best in every area of the surveys, with the highest proportion;

Gaining more supporters than they’re losing
Reaching new audiences
Meeting fundraising targets
Retaining supporters
Able to deliver services

Digital adopters are getting there, too. They reported that they feel they have all the right tools and tech to work digitally. Where they differ is that digital adopters expressed a need for training and upskilling to use the tools more effectively. They also found it challenging to keep up with the pace of changing technology. This is something we’ve all had first-hand experience of as fundraisers. Team structures most often don’t evolve as quickly as external factors necessitate, be it organisational direction, audience need, or indeed evolving technology. With fundraisers working right up to or beyond maximum capacity, it can leave little or no time to make the most of well-meaning and progressive developments, such as digital tools. In the next section, we’ve shared our advice on choosing the right tech partner to help with the essential and let’s face it, inevitable evolution into the digital world. In the words of Alan Deutschman, change or die, right?

How to adapt to digital: choosing the right tech partner

Following the news of the closure of Virgin Money Giving, ‘how do we choose the right platform?’ was the most asked question amongst fundraisers. And the quick answer is, it depends on what you need it for. With so much choice and varying features, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when choosing the right digital tools for you. Especially as new ones are announced every day!

But the good news is you don’t have to be on SnapChat, Facebook, or even Instagram.

Think about the long term goal for your organisation, where your donors are, and what resource you have or need to weave it all together - that’s where you start. Start small, monitor and track progress, test, and keep going!

Don't be afraid to pull a proposal together and get it in front of decision-makers. Think about investment and return. Why should your director sign off this spend? How will it improve ways of working now and into the future? Who needs to be involved in the implementation, and are those people bought in? And for the decision-makers amongst you - we ask you to be open. Reject the status quo. Listen to your teams. It may feel uncomfortable but lean into this. Everyone is depending on you to make the right decisions.

For more advice on choosing the right fundraising tech for you and how to use it, download the FundraisingTech Summit for immediate access to all webinars.

Closing thoughts

So, let's recap. It's not all bad news. In fact, there's some great stuff happening. Many organisations are storming ahead and reaping the rewards. But we need to remember that, with digital, there's no final destination. As one of our speakers, Shoni Field, said at the #IGSummit last year,

"There's no final state of digital maturation. We can always mature more."

Many organisations are still at the start of that journey. After all, Rome wasn't built in a day. For smaller charities, it can be difficult to find the headspace to put to this stuff. And larger places need the right digital leaders to forge the path ahead. What we can say for sure, is that by building digital capacity and investing in the right digital technologies and partners, organisations are not just future-proofing their organisations and income streams, they're creating the kind of work environments and opportunities that attract and retain talent. With or without digital, what makes charities exceptional is their people.

No matter where you are in the digital evolution, we couldn't leave you without sharing our recommendations moving forward from here.

Check out the highlights from Shoni's session or watch the full recording on demand.

Digital sceptics

We understand that you already have so much more to contend with and ‘digital transformation’ may sound like a buzzword that’s about to add a million things to your to-do list, but the results from this report speak for themselves.

Start small and utilise the support available to you to make an easy start:

Have a personal account on Facebook? You know how to post. Set up a charity page and start sharing stories.
Engage with local partners who can give their skills instead of donations.
Pop along to a Google Garage webinar for free digital tools training.

Digital rookies

You’ve already done the hard part, now keep going! It’s been a tough year and of course, you feel disheartened. But, bigger inputs mean bigger outputs. This is a great opportunity to build on what you’ve already done.

Review your existing activity and perform a keep, improve, or bin exercise.
Use data to find out what digital activities are getting you the biggest results and spend most of your time there.
Stay connected with other digital rookies, adopters, and experts to get support and insight on the journey ahead of you. Our Member Slack Channel is a great place for instant support on all things fundraising!

Digital adopters

You are crushing it, well done! To boost you up to digital experts, it’s time to bust out the data. It’s hard to know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been.

Make data review a regular activity in your team meetings and decision making.
Benchmark. Partner up with other charities and get involved in benchmarking projects to check your activity measures up. We love M+R Benchmarks which came to the UK in 2021 in partnership with our good friends at Rally.
Access all of the Data Slam webinars to learn how to use data properly.

Digital experts

Not much to say here except a huge well done. You’re blazing the trail and that’s not easy. If we could ask you to do just one thing it’s to keep going - don’t get comfy here. Digital changes so often and it’s important to stay ahead instead of catching up.

Oh, and please share what you’ve learned (ok, that’s two things). This report highlights that we have a huge way to go as a sector when it comes to digital transformation and your experience can help these organisations change the world for the better so much faster.

Final word - online tools are useless if you don’t have the basics right. Catch up on the Individual Giving Summit On Demand. Learn about supporter journeys, finding your purpose, storytelling, and social media. Explore the sessions of sharing, insights, and community that will help you improve right across the fundraising mix.

For more insights, sign up to hear from us by email. Just head to our website and scroll down to the bottom.

The founder of modern fundraising: 5+ insights

We are very excited to host guest blogger and fundraising lifer, Giles Pegram CBE this month. Giles ran his first campaign, a jumble sale, aged just 12 years old, raising an incredible £80 for Oxfam – £1,000 in today’s money! As many of you will know, Giles has devoted his career to the sector, spending many years as Appeals Director at NSPCC, as a trustee of the CIoF, and more recently as vice-chair of the Commission on the Donor Experience. Giles was awarded with the ‘Lifetime Achievement in Fundraising’ Award in 2002, and a CBE in 2011.

As you look back from 2021 and look forward to 2022, don’t forget 1972.

The advice that follows is over 50 years old. It comes from Harold Sumption. Some, like me, regard him as the founder of modern fundraising and believe that his thinking is as relevant in 2022 as it was 50 years ago.

Harold was a seasoned commercial advertising professional. He enjoyed a key role at several innovative UK advertising agencies, and applied his great commercial experience to the world of fundraising. He knew precisely what he was doing.

Six of Harold’s greatest aphorisms

Harold was not just a brilliant fundraising mind; he also managed to distil his thinking into simple statements. So they have survived.

The charity is the agent of the donor
The role of charity as the agent of the donor in bringing about change, and that fundraising is the process that brings donors and cause together. Like many of Harold’s aphorisms, both simple and profound.
Open their hearts, open their minds, then open their wallets
All three, in that order.

Present the need that your charity is addressing, the solution it is providing, and engage the donor in being part of that solution.
Present the need, powerfully, not to shock but to engage
Charities have used shocking images, attracted media attention and defended them on the basis of the intensity of the problems they were tackling.

But donors? They recoil. We must present the need in a way that viscerally engages the emotions of the donor by making them want to help. Not shock them.

This is both acceptable and indeed good. Donors will feel they are making a significant difference when they give, so will have a better experience. Not just be shocked.
People give to people, not to organisations, mission statements or strategies
People say they give to the NSPCC: In fact, they give to prevent a child being cruelly treated.
Fundraising is not about money. It’s about important work that needs doing. If you start by asking for money, you won’t get it and you won’t deserve it.
This is brilliant. I’ve nothing to add.
Success produces congratulations. Need produces results.
Tell that to your trustees when they ask why you aren’t presenting the great work of your charity in your fundraising. Money is the means to that end. And it’s supporters who give time and money. To meet a need.

Harold was a man of great stature. But at heart he was a very humble, ordinary man. Who changed the fundraising world.

Now, go back to what 2022 can learn from 2021.

Giles Pegram CBE – November 2021

gilespegram.com

Whether you're planning a virtual Christmas because you're unsure in-person events will happen this winter or you're keen to keep the benefits of online accessibility and affordability (hint: you really should be), there are lots of ways to bring people together and enjoy the Christmas fun this December.

From team parties to festive fundraising, here are our team's top 5 Christmas virtual event ideas.

Virtual Christmas Grotto

A Fundraising Everywhere favourite from 2020 (mainly because Nikki loves an excuse to dress as an elf).

Find yourself a quality Santa and an easy to manage virtual meeting room to provide a magical experience for the children of staff or supporters. It's simple enough to run with kids added and removed from the meeting room in 3-5 minute slots.

It's important to remember when hosting events for young people that online safety should be a big part of your planning. Make sure you stay in the virtual room when Santa meets the kids, offer booked-only slots, and do your Santa research to make sure they're checked and engaging.

Top tip: Choose a virtual meeting room that lets you add your own branding and for quality skip the green screen in favour of a specially curated Christmas background.

Online Winter Wonderland

Interactive networking spaces can be repurposed for plenty of Christmas-themed activities.

Picture this; your team enters the virtual room, 'All I Want for Christmas' plays over their headphones as they 'walk' towards the virtual campfire. They hear the crackle of a warm fire as they open their Secret Santa presents (sent in advance) before heading to the dancefloor for a dance (or a walk in the winter woods for more the more introverted amongst us).

Top Tip: Create multiple spaces within your networking park so attendees can move around freely and engage in multiple activities. Our team have created everything from scavenger hunts to movie nights - you can even host them in the same park!

Christmas Choir

Tenovus Cancer Care hosted their first virtual Christmas Choir in 2020 with amazing results.

They were able to enlist the hosting help of celebrity Wynne Evans, bring together cancer survivors who wouldn't have been able to travel to an in-person event, and raised over £7,000 in one hour.

You can read more about their virtual event and watch the highlights here.

Top tip: Pre-recorded content means higher quality and lower stress. You can book our virtual recording studio for as little as £30 per hour - we'll even edit it for you!

Balloon Party

When the Fundraising Everywhere team celebrated Christmas 2020, a party pack was sent in the post with balloons, treats, and Santa hats before joining Miss Ballooniverse for an hour of hilarious creativity.

Choosing an activity that allows all attendees to participate is a top tip for hosting virtual parties. Throw in prizes for the winner for a bit of friendly competition.

Top tip: Be inclusive with your activity choice and mindful of attendees' beliefs, abilities, and accessibility.

Cookalong

With employers embracing remote-first work and employees enjoying work-from-home benefits, virtual Christmas parties are a great way to bring people together from the comfort of their own home - and kitchen.

Bond over food and share your favourite recipe with your team by hosting an online cookalong. Send the ingredients in advance, grab a camera (and a spatula), and get cooking! Share your results in your internal communication tools and vote for the tastiest looking dish.

Top tip: It goes without saying but choose a dish that's not complicated to make and requires little to no equipment.

If you're planning a virtual party for Christmas 2021 you can expect ease, excitement, and way more accessibility (not to mention lower cost).

We've hosted 400+ virtual events on our platform since 2019 and we're all about engaging and stress-free experiences. We can do this for you too.

Our talented team of fundraisers turned tech-pros will work with you from idea to delivery, we'll even run the event for you on the day so you can concentrate on the fun and connections.

Email hello@fundraisingeverywhere.com with your idea and we'll make it a reality.

We’re officially past the halfway mark of 2021 — which feels surreal after the timewarp that was last year. But it’s a milestone worth mentioning because it means you have just 5 months left to make your mark on 2021.

If you set yourself professional goals now is the time to review and tweak them if necessary. But what if you never set them in the first place? Well, you’ve still got time.

Here are our 5 tips for how to set professional development goals no matter where you are in the year.

Take stock of the last 6 months

Before you start goal setting you need to take stock of at least the last 6 months of your job. Ask yourself the following questions.

What projects or campaigns have you worked on?
Which part of your role feel like they come very easily to you?
Which tasks felt tricky?
Did anyone pitch new ideas that scared you?

If you’ve got the time, we highly recommend that you reflect on the last year because it’s a year like no other, and chances are you challenged yourself. Identify parts of the last year that were brand new to you and challenged you. Developing those skills further will be what makes you an excellent fundraiser.

Set SMART goals

As fundraisers we set SMART goals for our fundraising campaigns, so why not for ourselves too? Your goals need to be specific (S), measurable (M), attainable (A), relevant (R) and timely (T).

Career coaches recommend that you only set between 3-5 goals per year.

If you’re setting goals midway through the year to achieve by December, set yourself 2 goals so that you don’t get overwhelmed.

To test whether your goals are SMART use the framework below:

To achieve my goal of ______________ I will by ______.

Write down your goals

Hands up if you’ve ever set yourself goals in your head and they never technically entered the physical world because then there wasn’t pressure to achieve them…

To stop this from happening, first for yourself write down your goals and stick them where you’ll see them every day, from on your fridge to your desktop wallpaper.

Find an accountability partner

This sounds like a way bigger deal than it actually is. Sharing your goals with someone makes them real, and keeps you accountable.

Great places to find a partner are the Facebook Fundraising Chat or any networking or membership groups you’re a part of.

Catch up every 3 months to take stock of where you are.

Set a recurring event in your calendar

Depending on your goals, set yourself either a recurring weekly or monthly event in your calendar and mark yourself as unavailable.

Webinars can be as short as 20 minutes, so don’t think you need to block out loads of time. And resist the temptation to delete the event on a busy day. Consistently carving out time for yourself is what keeps you moving forward.

Reach your goals & change the world!

Become a Fundraising Everywhere Member for just 30 per month and access over 300 hours of on-demand webinars and training, attend a monthly live clinic with experts & join a community of over 200 fundraisers from around the globe.