LIFTING THE "STATUS" OF FUND-RAISING WITHIN YOUR ORGANISATION
An explanation of common assumptions towards fund-raising and fund-raisers and how these assumptions need to be adjusted to make your fund-raising efforts effective.
Traditionally, fund-raising has been thought of as an added-on amateur activity.
Fund-raising has not been thought of in the same vein as the organisation's mainstream activities.
Personnel, management committees and boards consider the nature of fund-raising too abstract.
The activity of fund-raising within many organisations is often not given enough value and too little attention is given to planning for an ongoing strategy.
Often fund-raising is operated outside the mainstream structure through committees and volunteers who have no or little contact with the main stream activity or organisation's decision makers.
However, when the money appears from fund-raising activities, it is very well received!!
 Fundraising for Dummiesby John Mutz, Katherine Murray (Paperback - June 2000) |
 Fundraising for Social Changeby Kim Klein (Paperback) |
How much more return for effort would there be if fund-raising activities were accorded the status that other activities were accorded, and the Board and senior staff recognised the need for planning and strategy for it's success!!
If this applies in part to your organisation, the following suggestions may help:
Make sure that a written fund-raising plan is presented to the board with goals, objectives, budgets and outcomes specified clearly, and make sure that they endorse it. It may be altered a couple of times but make sure they have seen it, and acknowledge the plan.
Make sure that the Chief Executive Officer is included in the planning process (or the President if it is a non-salaried staff organisation) and has also endorsed the plan. If this is carried out you will have a positive response towards the fund-raising process, and will also have the opportunity to include and involve important members of your organisation in your fund-raising activities.
If your fund-raising program is run by a voluntary committee, make sure that there is an effective communication system set up between the committee members and the main body of the organisation (see detail in Planning for Continuity in Your Committee Structure).
Plan for some interaction between the fund-raising committee, staff and board members, senior executive staff, and/or the managing committee.
Make sure there is sufficient opportunity for NON STRUCTURED interaction so that fund-raisers feel valued and meet equally with other members of the organisation.
Make sure the board and senior staff or committee is fully aware of the success or problems of the fund-raising program. Make sure they or as many as can, attend functions, and participate in suitable areas. They have a vested interest in what is being done.
The use of a graph done on a computer or by hand is a very quick and easy way to give decision makers a fast and effective overview of successful fund-raising activities.
SUMMARY:
If the decision makers in the mainstream of your organisation don't understand or have a negative or obstructive view of fund-raising efforts, put plans into place to turn this around.
Support and interest from the whole organisation will make the world of difference to your result.
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