How to get the Case for Support right?

I've just being editing a cracking case for support for a new charity working with people in poverty in Ghana. What is particularly interesting is that Ghana is generally viewed as "middle income country (WHO) but in fact some areas are dirt poor as a young teacher doing VSO in Lawra found to her considerable cost. Remote, hot, very very poor the kids spent all day hunting for food rather than walking several kilometres (in that heat) to sit in a shack.

However instead of just getting on with the VSO role (to help improve teaching methods) she set about raising the funds to build a kitchen. Working with parents and teachers (who run the free lunch facility) the charity she set up build the facilities, laid on clean water and provided a regular supply of local food. Now attendenc has risen from 76% to 96%. The kids all get a free meal and their performance has improved dramatically.

It's so simple, it's a story. Sarah came home, gave up teaching and splits her time between fundraising and running three projects in and around Lawra. Tell it how it is. What do they do? why do they do it? And why you should support them? We overcomplicate these things. Of course a grant application might need a 10 page description but it's still the same three questions that have got to be asked. ATE Ghana is set to raise and invest £100k in their first year of operation. Not bad for a young girl! Take a look at the story at: www.ateghana.org What's not to like?

When does a gift (or a giver) become major?

As followers of this blog will know, I believe that donors give blood and body parts, whilst people give money to charities so should be shown some respect and called, givers, whatever the value of their gift.

We had a particularly interesting meeting at the Institute of Fundraising Consultants Group AGM when Theresa Lloyd talked about philanthropic motivations from the perspective of seriously wealthy UK givers, Eddy Hogg talked about £1m givers from a global perspective and Martin Kaufman talked about what value consultants add to the whole major gift process from a uniquely personal perspective. What all three emphasised is how well universities do at major gift fundraising and that there are lessons for everyone looking at those experiences.

We also discussed, at some length, at what level of gift someone is considered a "major giver?" Some reckoned it's £10,000 or even £25,000 whilst others suggested that £5 per month over 15 years gift aided (£1125) might be considered a possible! My own view, confirmed by published research, is that anybody who can write you a cheque for £1000 can, if so motivated, put an extra 0 on the end. So whilst you may not treat your £1000 givers as major givers you would be foolish not to treat them as major gift prospects! Especially when you add in the possibility of a legacy. Remember the average residiary charitable legacy gift is more than £50,000 and even the average specific legacy gift is approaching £5,000

But what do think?

The art or science of Philanthropy?

Lots going on in the field of Philanthropy it seems. There's a month of philanthropy events at Charterhouse I went along on Monday and was treated to a very interesting historical perspective. I'd suggest it's worth getting along to one if you can.

Then there is the new book out by Beth Breeze and Theresa Lloyd which is an excellent follow-up on Theresa's original "Why Rich People Give" ten years ago. It revisits 40 of them and adds another 40 "newer" philanthropists. Interesting isn't it that philanthropy is often seen as the preserve of the rich and yet it is the poorest 10% of the population in the UK who give the most as a percentage of their income?

What's more, good old Wikipedia reminds us that, "Philanthropy etymologically means "love of humanity" in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, and enhancing "what it is to be human" on both the benefactors' (by identifying and exercising their values in giving and volunteering) and beneficiaries' (by benefiting) parts" In other words, anyone can be a philanthropist! Dawkins reckons we have to teach altruism because it isn't in our Genes, whilst Darwin considered that we actually are very altruistic animals. Economists have a word or three to say about it too, but then they have something to say about most things, just a shame they can never agree. By the way, Theresa, Eddy Hogg and Martin Kaufman are all talking at the Institute of Fundraising Consultants Group meeting on 19th November so if you fancy coming along you can book here.

My own research is beginning to show that what Scott Fitzgerald and Hemmingway were (wrongly) reputed to have argued:
"The Rich are different to us" "Yes, they've got more money" is in fact pretty spot on. Whether people are giving £5 or £10 pounds a month to their favourite causes, or a £1 million a year, they are largely coming from the same place.

For fundraisers the key is to understand where each of their givers and prospects are coming from in order to make the most appropriate, timely, well-informed and relevant ask. Simply when you spell it out but probably Alchemy rather than Chemistry. Or is it?

Are the newly privatised Royal Mail already up to something?

Wow! £3.5bn from the sale of shares and a £10bn pension liability over the next few years. Do the discounted cash flow and you'll see more political dogma than economic logic. What's worse they might already be trying to exploit their position.

I understand that significant and potentially costly changes being made by Royal Mail with effect from 4th November 2013. Basically charities receive a rebate on all freepost envelopes that are returned with a stamp (often 50% of a dm programme)

Apparently Royal Mail have informed Valldata that from 4th November new Business Reply Envelopes must be used with new barcodes and that any mail received in the current envelopes after 4th November will not be admissible for rebate.

Here's the catch 22. All new envelopes need to be submitted and approved by Royal Mail but you can't submit them until the 4th November as the barcode generator will not be available until then!

Valldata and others are continuing to lobby hard on behalf of all their clients to secure an overlap period where existing BRE’s will continue to qualify for the rebate. Because if for example your Christmas mailing has already been produced with the existing envelopes you can expect a cost of £100s if not £000s in additional postage.

This is a difficult and grossly unfair situation and we all need to do something to challenge this. In view of the current media hype around Royal Mail shares I wonder if this would be something that they wouldn’t want the sector bringing to the attention of the general public? What do you think?

Is it a right or a duty for fundraisers to ask for money?

Went to a very interesting media briefing meeting with the PFRA and the indomitable Ian MacQuillan. Now whilst much of what was said comes under "Chatham House Rules" a very interesting discussion emerged over the aborted(?) Institute of Fundraising campaign that was proposed a few years ago. That was the idea that fundraisers not only need to celebrate the task of asking for support, since that is what changes the world for the better; but actually stand tall recognising that they have a right to ask for money to make the world a better place. Sadly the campaign never happened. Meanwhile the PFRA have used part of this in their more positive media messaging saying that whilst the public has a right not to be harassed, fundraisers never the less have the right to ask. This is proving quite effective in changing the tone of media coverage of street canvassing stories.

In the meantime Ian and I have also debated at length, over a glass of wine, this positive stance and I used a variation in support of street canvassers recently. To paraphrase I said something along the lines that,"fundraisers not only have a right to ask,they have a duty. On the other hand the public certainly has the right to say no!

Should we be getting the tee-shirts printed. As a fundraiser I have a duty to ask for money, whilst you have the right to say no. Maybe a bit too long and needing some more work but I'm convinced that we need to stand up and be counted.Any offers of an improved wording?

Fundraising and the Summer School

We've just run a summer school for 21 of our MSc students doing Management in Civil Society, to help them select their research dissertation topic. It was however in the scorching heat, no aircon; just 24 of us and three fans, cooped up together for three days in two rooms. This was not condusive to creativy! Guest speakers came and went but inspiration was thin on the ground.

The universally agreed best session was on Thursday night when we adjourned to a local byo indean restaurant and indeed brought our own beer, wine and cider. The discussions were far more animated and suggestions for research subjects ranged from the improbable to the obscene.

Never the less what came out of the fun were some fascinating subjects for fundraising research and in the (warm) light of day next morning several of the students made real progress in firming up topic areas and titles ranging from the improved use of social media for crowd fundraising to the extension of "push" questions (see the cabinet office research for the real story)to improve legacy fundraising.

Even the finance and social policy students were have fundraising ideas! You should try it sometime when you want more creativity in your fundraising plans!

Hot Town, summer in the city.....?

Anybody remember the Loving Spoonful?

Seems rather appropriate as St Swithins day has come and gone and ne'er a drop of rain, so pretty good for the next 40 days. Maybe it's why some are getting sloppy with their spell checkers. I received a subscription reminder from the august Chartered Institute of Marketing with a typo howler in the very first line. Ouch, or should I say "Grwoing"? Checking around I find that those under 30 are not so bothered whilst those over 50 think it is an outrage. More demographic indicators of attitude.

The direct cost was that of a grovelling letter of apology to all members from Chris Daly the (believe it or not)Director of Customer Experience. The indirect cost, certainily amongst baby boomers,is rather higher.So is there ever an excuse for sloppiness? It's hot and the deadline has come and gone so do you just hit the send button and hope? Remember what Douglas Adams said about deadlines. As someone who never made a deadline in his life he reflected that he loved the sound they make as they go "whooshing" passed.

Maybe when times are tight, both literally and metaphorically, we need to be even more careful. When budgets are being cut, we need to be more creative and make even stronger cases for investment. That means accurate data.

Just a thought on another sunny day.