The world stands at a crossroads. Our planet teeters on the brink of ecological catastrophe. Poverty, which had been declining for so long, is on the rise, and the gap between rich and poor is getting wider. Images of war are taking over our screens. The world needs us now more than ever.
What should be a fair battle between quantity and quality is far too often, and too easily, won by sheer numbers. We should all be recruiting fewer higher-quality donors, instead of more lower-quality donors. Yet, year in and year out we are replacing very large numbers of donors with large numbers of too low quality. That can be done differently. That has to be different. Because it yields too little. And it costs too much.
More than 36 years ago, the most beautiful fundraising song ever was released: We Are the World, by the charity supergroup USA for Africa. The proceeds of the single went to the victims of the famine in Ethiopia. In the absence of end-of-year drinks, it seems a very good idea to sing We are the world in your last online meeting of the year. For more fun, divide the roles per singer(s)! So, put your volume on 10 and sing along with all your heart. Happy holidays and see you in 2022!
I am a big fan of the TV program The Profit. In this show the successful entrepreneur Marcus Lemonis sets out to rescue ailing family businesses. Ideally, he sees a bright future and invests his own money in exchange for a share in the company. In the process of making such an offer, he tries to get all the information on the table. And the numbers are always a part of that.
The success of your fundraising is largely determined by the experiences you give to your donors. At least once a year you should try to really touch your donors. A wow-moment, a 9+ experience, a goosebump-moment, or whatever you want to call it. And World Vision has created something impressive like that.
Online fundraising has been the next big thing for years, but it also seems to have failed to live up to its potential for years. There are several underlying problems. I'm going to highlight two. The results are still too focused on the short term. And we are not investing enough.
The new year has started some time ago. Although it seems as if 2020 has been extended and we are now in month 15 ... But we are looking ahead. What should we do in the new year? I have a few suggestions.
Because it is the time of year I would like to give you a warning. I regularly come across something in market research or long-term strategies I donโt like: fundraising potential within a target group (or channel, or segment) that, so far, has brought convincing success to hardly anyone in the market. And why? Because the organization has been convinced of its own exceptional characteristics, or because of the little competition in the market on this so called potential. Sometimes this comes from internal voices, but often this comes from external consultancy firms or exotic freelancers.
Have you heard about Dan Pallotta's new online training? In line with his views as presented in his now famous TED talk (The way we think about charity is dead wrong) and book (Uncharitable) he has given trainings to nonprofit boards and directors worldwide in recent years. He has now translated that training into an online format.
The readers of my Dutch blog have chosen the top 10 most harmful statements for fundraising that they encounter in their day-to-day work. The responses I received unanimously showed that fundraisers feel hugely hampered by these statements. Fundraisers are fed up. Itโs never great when someone interferes with your expertise. The nice thing about fundraising is that everyone has an opinion about it. Especially the non-fundraisers.
As you know I often use this quote:โWe need to value donors as much as we need value from them.โ I think itโs a beautiful way to express the core of our work. When I recently used it Wim Desmedt from Sightsavers Ireland responded. He shared underneath example with me. Iโve seen lots of thank youโs coming by in my career, but I think this is the most sincere thank you ever written.
Ever since I started working as an Interim Manager & Senior Advisor 5 years ago, I have been constantly thinking about how I can best share my experience in individual giving with my clients. One of the subjects that I always thoroughly investigate is my own vision on successful fundraising. I do not only ask myself whether I am doing things right, but especially whether I am doing the right things. So this is the latest version of my vision. On a beer mat!
Last week I was at the International Fundraising Congress, right here in The Netherlands. As always a great experience. (If only it was for my โbest dressedโ nomination at the Gala Night for my shark costume.) Next to the many fundraising friends from around the world there was plenty of choice to get my annual fix of fundraising inspiration. This year I attended IFC for the 15th time, so you can imagine I am a fan.
The overall theme of the presentations I gave recently during the Greenpeace NORDIC strategy days was using windows, not mirrors. Respectfully borrowed from a Tony Elischer quote shown below. To learn from the outside world, to get to know the unknown.
Damian O'Broin and his Ask Direct team have done it again. For the 3rd year in a row theyโve managed to produce a high quality, content-rich, inspiring conference on the historic grounds of Trinity College in Dublin. The Fundraising Summer School was simply terrific. And we got value for money. A two-day diverse and insightful program with an awesome line-up of speakers. You should have been there...
Fundraising Directors are crucial for success. This incredible mastermind, known as Head of Fundraising in some countries, is in control of a massive budget and responsible for providing the organisation with the resources to do what it is supposed to. If you know how complex fundraising management is, you also know the sheer power of the Fundraising Director. (S)he controls information, makes everyday decisions, prioritises activities, inspires the team and sets the overall direction. At least, that's what they should...
I've been involved in many recruitment processes for both starting and senior fundraising jobs. Lately I've seen vacancies being re-posted several times, because it's too hard to find the right person. How weird is that? Well known and widely respected organisations doing so much good in the world, but unable to fill one fundraising position. You only need one in the end, but a bit of choice would be nice.
In the income analysis that I've published in December it was very clear that some organisations in The Netherlands show impressive income growth in the past decade. Compassion Netherlands, Save the Children Netherlands, Stichting Vluchteling (IRC), AMREF Flying Doctors, Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth) to name just a few. But I'd like to zoom in on one specific organisation: KiKa (Children Cancerfree).
My previous new years wish was about being distinctive. This year it's all about innovation and action.
My specialty is individual giving, and to be honest I don't see a lot of innovation. It's all more or less the same. And I don't mean you need to start with brand new stuff all the time. Innovation to me is not doing something you've never done before. Innovation is every change compared to the status quo. Every incremental change is innovation. And this is just as important as the game-changing innovation that everyone is going for.
The other day a starting fundraiser asked me for general tips and tricks on how to improve his fundraising skills. It got me thinking: what would I tell myself if I was able to go back in time? In random order a list of 10 things I would tell my younger self.
Check out this brilliant tv add from Child Bereavement UK in their #OneMoreMinute campaign. Child Bereavement UK supports families and educates professionals when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, or when a child is facing bereavement.
Many fundraisers are aware of relationship fundraising. Ken Burnettโs famous book Relationship Fundraising has opened many eyes over the last 25 years. There arenโt many fundraisers who havenโt read this book. However, its vision and core message have never been fully implemented in our sector.
The Latin phrase "Disce aut Discede" is used as the motto of many institutions and schools. It means "Learn or Leave". It's time we adopt this mindset in our sector as well.
There is plenty of best practice available in the sector, as you will see when The Commission on the Donor Experience presents her findings. But to be honest: there is more bad practice happening around us. More then we'd like to see.
Dear readers. This is the last blog post from the original 101 team. As per 1 January 2017 The Resource Alliance will take over ownership and management of our beloved 101 community.
It has been the most wonderful journey anyone can imagine. Since the launch 6 years ago weโve read so many terrific blog posts. There are too many to mention here. Weโve also met so many new fundraising friends, who weโll treasure for the rest of our careers and probably beyond!
We would like to thank a few people: our readers, our bloggers, our donors and our team.
A sad message. Last Sunday Simone Joyaux, fundraising consultant, gifted author and speaker passed away. She appeared at fundraising conferences worldwide to wake up people. With her death, the fundraising world loses a beautiful and unique person.