Fire in the Belly
One thing no book or training course can teach fundraisers is passion for the cause. It’s the essential ingredient for success and without it no fundraising operation will prosper for long. I recently interviewed an academic about an ambitious appeal he plans to launch. He has already had some good successes in attracting funding (and […]
Fundraising and Organisational Culture
The influence of organisational culture on fundraising is an issue rarely discussed in our sector. Whether you are raising funds in a major hospital or a small disability charity, the culture in which you operate will to a large extent define and determine how you operate, as well as the limits of what you can […]
A Legacy in Time
At the board meeting of a charity of which I am a trustee, we signed off the accounts this week for the last financial year. Our Finance Director had been predicting a deficit for the year and had been resigned to having to dip into reserves by a small amount, when we had been hoping […]
Celebrating 15 Years!
It’s hard to believe it, but we are about to celebrate our 15th anniversary of helping UK charities develop strategies and raise the funds to pay for them. Things have changed a lot since 1998 when we a started, both in the world of fundraising and in our business. Fundraising has changed almost beyond recognition, […]
Maximising Value from Events
In the current climate, and despite its often low ROI, community fundraising is still a great way to engage with donors and prospects, but to justify the time and effort you really need to ensure you are squeezing all the benefits from it you can. I heard a presentation recently by a well-known regional charity […]
Happy Birthday IoF!
I saw recently that the IoF is 30 years old this year – a moment perhaps to take stock? Certainly, fundraising has come a long way since the ICFM, as it then was known, was established. And so, to be fair, has the Institute. Some of us will remember the rather shambolic days of the […]
Screening Donor Data for Charitable Trust Links
A common demand placed on trust fundraisers is to find new prospects, which in a mature operation can often be a challenge, especially if all the usual sources have been exhausted. Yet in an increasingly competitive environment, finding new prospects to top up your lapsing donors is clearly important. We know too that with trusts […]
Our woodland is taking shape!
As part of our commitment to sustainability, we support the charity Climate Stewards, which works to combat global warming by educating people in the West about greener lifestyles and supports communities in developing countries by planting trees to enhance their local environment, provide incomes and help the climate. For every new contract we sign, we […]
MBE is well deserved
Congratulations to Sue Lidington, Chair of trustees of Side by Side Theatre Company, a Wootton George client, on her recent MBE. Sue set up the charity in the 1990’s for people with learning difficulties and has worked tirelessly ever since to enhance their quality of life, develop their skills and bring pleasure to thousands with […]
New Clients
We are delighted to welcome the following new clients – Lucy Air Ambulance, Cancer Relief UK, Birmingham Settlement and Futures Unlocked. We look forward to working with them and making a difference!