The past month (October 2017) has provided many moments for reflection for us as a sector, as fundraisers came together at the International Fundraising Congress, the Fundraising Regulator published its first batch of complaints statistics and one of the sector’s most influential leaders, Mark Astarita, retired from the British Red Cross. It all points to a moment in time to think … Continue reading Let’s stop being the party bore + a 4 point strategy for doing it
Fundraising / Comms integration: count me out it’s time for Fr-Exit ! (er, that’s Fundraising-exit)
Integration is often vaunted as a thing to which we should all aspire. The miraculous fusion of all of our fundraising, campaigning, trading and communications efforts into a glorious whole where every message is clear and consistent and does its job effectively, at the same time as building the whole. Words like ‘synergy’ and ‘consistency’ … Continue reading Fundraising / Comms integration: count me out it’s time for Fr-Exit ! (er, that’s Fundraising-exit)
Do-gooders take note: Capitalism is your friend!
Charities should be less squeamish and see private sector as an agent of change, not the enemy. There’s a distrust of business, big business in particular, that I’ve experienced in my time in the “for good” sector that has always slightly puzzled me. It’s not that charity-private sector collaborations don’t exist; they do and there are … Continue reading Do-gooders take note: Capitalism is your friend!
Fundraising Innovation and the danger of the Echo-chamber feat. 4 top tips
The algorithm. Fast becoming one of the most powerful forces shaping our society today. “People who like that also like this” Amazon tells us. “People you might know” suggests Facebook, at the same time as suggesting products we might like based on its analysis of our posts and newsfeed. (Incidentally, Facebook seems to think I … Continue reading Fundraising Innovation and the danger of the Echo-chamber feat. 4 top tips
LSE/Birkbeck research on donor-NGO: What is it about “broken” that we don’t understand?
A new piece of research from Birkbeck/LSE highlights major issues with the ‘broken’ contract between donor and INGO’s such as Oxfam, Save the Children and others. It asks big questions of Fundraisers. It calls into question the whole basis of our relationship with the public and with our supporters. If you’re serious about the cause … Continue reading LSE/Birkbeck research on donor-NGO: What is it about “broken” that we don’t understand?
Behavioural Economics gives new insights for Fundraisers
Now here’s a thing I don’t understand. I’ve picked it from a very long list of things I don’t understand which includes; differential equations (obviously), how to get jam to set properly (recent problem), and why it is when people read the words “forgetful”, “bald”, “grey” and “wrinkle” it makes them walk more slowly. The last … Continue reading Behavioural Economics gives new insights for Fundraisers
THINKING FUNDRAISING 