LAURA Baker
Fundraising
FUNDRAISING - How and Why to Get all of Your Staff Supporting it!
Glenn Oakes Fundraising Consultant and Mentor at Caboodle Fundraising Posted 9 months ago
Last week, I spoke at CharityConnect’s Connections event, to help CEOs and Fundraisers explore fundraising as an integrated organisational ethos supported by all staff.
Cross-departmental cooperation may involve a cultural shift toward a team spirit mindset.
Helping colleagues to understand the variety of ways they can help then adopting the ‘Red Car Principle’ which encourages people to actively seek out opportunities is the way to go.
It is important to inspire cooperation and adopt a light-touch approach that does not over-burden people but empowers everyone to contribute in a small way, that cumulatively makes a big difference.
Inspiring heart-felt buy in
It is helpful to have a team building away day to help colleagues understand the main principles of fundraising and for them to input their ideas to make it successful.
Topics featured depend on priorities, but could include the importance of:
- Unrestricted and sustainable income
- Diversifying income streams.
- Strong cases for support, using storytelling to emotionally connect with prospects and quantitative evidence that proves donors are getting a good bang for their buck.
- Ethical fundraising - this is important to get buy-in as there may be resistance from frontline staff who are concerned that beneficiaries may be made to feel guilty or under pressure to support your work.
- Fundraising strategy – it is important they grasp this and also take ownership by them having input to it.
Workshops can then be held to explore how everyone can add value and encourage team spirit which will enrich the culture of your charity. Findings should be documented and included to form or refresh the fundraising strategy.
How staff can help.
- Explore how to ethically give beneficiaries the opportunity to help - remember to keep it legal and within regulations://www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk
- Encouraging people to sign up for the newsletter and to follow on social media that adds value.
- Seek out testimonials (can be anon) qualitative information and
- Find beneficiaries who are happy to share their story/video/speak at public events·
- Promoting opportunities through networks and piggybacking on communications - information leaflets/email signatures etc
- Finding out from contacts how to approach their organsation suppliers/clubs/employers.
- Input at nurturing events.
- Using agreed language to present a consistent brand image.
- Fundraising Mix - that advances your mission. For example if a mental health charity it could be a sponsored walk which helps with wellbeing by - spending time in nature, getting exercise, being a positive part of the community and socialising with other people.
- Patron options
- Cross-selling with campaigning and other volunteer departments
- Supporting social media by liking and commenting on posts.
- Providing social media content - professional and also the human side to forge an emotional connection using imagery and video.
Remember to Capture Findings and put them to Good Use!
For access to my presentation slides content, please DM Ocean King and she will happily send them over to you.
I can set up and co-ordinate workshops to get staff pulling together and can also add value to fundraising in a range of other ways. Connect with me on LinkedIn and check out the featured section of my profile for content to help with fundraising. Happy to hear from you: www.caboodle-fundraising.com
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