A new restatement of the issues in the context of the launch of the Commission. . The basic problem with much of fundraising today is that we fundraise AT people. Should we start by thinking of donors as existing to meet the charity’s needs? Or should we start by thinking about meeting donors desires to […]
Category: Fundraising
Has fundraising moved forwards, or backwards, in the last 50 years? And where next?
The unbeaten aphorisms of the founder of modern fundraising, 50 years on. A careful and thorough distillation of the wisdom of Harold Sumption You won’t find this anywhere else, and it is both stimulating, and a great read. I can’t believe you won’t be inspired
One person. One need. One solution. One donor engagement.
A brilliant piece of fundraising. By Harold Sumption, above. Not for every-one. A minute analysis of one fundraising piece, half a century on, but which I believe has never been bettered, and contains lessons for all of us. As someone who usually likes to focus on the big picture, I am mesmerised by this one […]
The joy of giving
Why did a ten-year old boy experience that joy 55 years ago? Why is the concept of ‘the joy of giving’ so critical for fundraising now, and how do we recapture it, and bottle it up for our current donors?
What do we do now to reassure our donors?
A very well read follow-up on the last blog, which focused on the problem. This blog now discusses the solution and delves into detail of defining a new vision for fundraising, which puts the donor at the centre. Not just principles, but loads of examples.
Who is responsible for the ‘current crisis’ in fundraising in the UK?
A short, but very well read, assessment of the situation in the UK. The positive role of the Daily Mail, in my, unpopular, opinion. And my assertion that some fundraising is fundamentally rotten. The litmus test: “Did the donor feel better as a result of the communication, than they did before it?” Often, the answer […]
The unhappy Philanthropist
A post about recognition of donors A serious bog, that tries to get under the skin of why philanthropists give and how we recognise them. Sometimes, exceptionally. Sometimes abysmally. It gives examples of great practice, often from the USA, and some suggestions of how we might all do better
7 things I would do differently if I were an appeals director now
I can’t believe how much the fundraising landscape has changed since I wrote this. If my other blogs have interested you, do read this. If you only have time for one, read the first one. If you are interested in other blogs, please write to me.
The state of relationship fundraising. A conversation. Part 2
Two blogs, very well received at their time, which analyse relationship fundraising just two years ago, They are, I would suggest, for the reader who is interested in timeless thinking, beyond the furore of the last two years. They might seem dated in the context of the last two years, but in their dated way […]
The state of Relationship fundraising .A conversation. Part 1
Two blogs, very well received at their time, which analyse relationship fundraising just two years ago, They are, I would suggest, for the reader who is interested in timeless thinking, beyond the furore of the last two years. They might seem dated in the context of the last two years, but in their dated way […]