What I can offer.
Anyone working in fundraising needs a broad skill-set and to be adaptable. And that is reflected in how I approach my work as a consultant. Together we can tailor the assignment to address your specific requirements, considering the unique circumstances of your organisation, the prevailing context and, naturally, your overarching goals and aspirations.
Major Appeals
A lost art.
Major Appeals seem to be becoming a lost art. The NSPCC’s Full Stop Appeal raised £500m in today’s money, using principles that are 2,000 years old. No Appeal since has come close. I can bring my experience to bear on your appeal, whether it be for tens of millions or tens of thousands of pounds, because the principles are the same.
Major appeals not only bring in their nominal targets, they also provide a platform for future growth of core income. Ultimately this growth may be the more significant of the two.
Key is orientating your activities to a leadership fundraising approach, whereby the appeal target is owned by an influential group of volunteers. I can help you apply this principle to your appeal.
I understand the importance of sharing the vision, not just externally but internally, ensuring that stakeholders such as your CEO and Trustees as well as your team are aligned around it and hold to it over time – even when things seem impossible.
I know how to identify and recruit volunteers to your fundraising committees and how best to support them. I can also help you: create a well-conceived and researched case statement; determine the resources you will need; and create and execute a plan. Afterwards, I will work with you to consolidate your success.
Any charity, right now, could start planning a major appeal. I could help you. And it would transform your fundraising.
⟶ Case study NSPCC Appeals
Major Donors
A fine art.
I bring a wealth of experience and knowledge of major donor fundraising and have proven track record – both as a fundraiser and as a consultant.
In theory
What differentiates me in this area is my donor-focused approach. I believe that Major donor fundraising is primarily about people, relationships and the experience of the donor.
And it may be that the biggest change that I can effect will be on the charity’s orientation towards these important stakeholders. It involves a shift in mindset away from process driven, numbers-based fundraising at people. In its stead we need to create a truly donor-focused approach to engagement, cultivation, stewardship and recognition; often working with segments of one – ensuring that every touchpoint drives value. This may require, not just resource, but a commitment and openness from you and your organisation to see and to do things differently.
That is not to say that information and analysis are unimportant: they are critical. I can work with you to provide rich insight into your donors through scrutiny of data and trends, through bespoke research, such as ‘depth’ interviews, and by establishing meaningful benchmarks and success criteria. In this way we can ensure that your strategies are backed by actionable insights, that decision-making is well-informed and that learnings are captured and leveraged.
In practice
I can also help you with the day-to-day realities of major donor fundraising. This might entail developing, or improving, your major donor programme ensuring excellent systems and processes for stewardship and cultivation.
However, at the very highest level of giving it may well be that you use me to help you develop personalised approaches for individual donors and prospects. This involves a deep dive into the person: their circumstances, their networks and their motivations. In my experience, developing a deep understanding can lead to extraordinary results.
I can also help you identify and recruit prospects. Only some will be known to you. Others will be potential supporters who are known to stakeholders in your organisation, or live locally, or have some other affinity with your work. Once we have identified the who, where and why of your potential supporters, we can explore the develop appropriate and effective strategies to engage and develop them – the how. I have a strong history of developing engagement and cultivation strategies be they one-to-one, events-based, or part of a larger major appeal and I can bring this experience to bear on your programme.
Finally and importantly, I am keenly aware that major donors fundraising, existing as it does in the personal realm, can often present nuanced, one-off problems, that require sensitive and judicious handling. I actually thrive in these situations, and enjoy the process of finding creative solutions to tricky situations. It is grist to the fundraising mill.
In summary
Developing a major donor strategy may represent a quick win for a charity, especially those with little or no fundraising operation. But any charity, no matter its size or sophistication, can almost certainly do more, or do better, in this area.
However, it is imperative that these stakeholders are handled well. If you get things right, they will make a major contribution to your fundraising.
⟶ Case study
Individual Giving
The power of one.
Individual Givers offer charities a coveted source of unrestricted income. They are one of the most powerful constituents of supporter any charity can have. Indeed, for many, they are the very engine room of the fundraising operation. Handled well, they will give more and more and in time be one of your greatest legacy prospects.
The ability to attract and retain donors is, of course, fundamental. But, when you are starting out, establishing an Individual Giving programme can be daunting. The costs of market entry are high, income accrues slowly and mistakes can be costly. It should be regarded as an investment, not a quick win. But, as I’ve shown in my own analysis (“Remind me why you’re here?”), the medium to long term results can be extraordinary.
Because you are dealing with large numbers of smaller givers, their giving generates lots of data and this is susceptible to rigorous analysis. And, used well, this analysis can be a powerful tool in getting better and better results. Test, analyse, test again and roll out success. Repeat the process continuously. I did this at the NSPCC for over thirty years and refined the process to the nth degree, and in so doing, fundamentally transformed the landscape of individual fundraising practice.
Whether you are a small charity dipping your toe in the water, or a large multinational with an existing programme, I can bring this unrivalled experience and insight to bear on your situation.
⟶ Case study“Looking after donors is not a cost. It is an investment.”
Audit.
Actionable insight.
I can conduct a comprehensive assessment of your fundraising strategies and processes. This assessment offers a fresh, external perspective, enabling you to identify both areas of strength and those that could benefit from improvement. Moreover, it plays a crucial role in pinpointing opportunities for growth. The audit not only yields valuable information on the efficiency and effectiveness of your current fundraising efforts, but also equips you with actionable insights that inform and guide your future planning.
While any audit is inherently logical, rigorous, and detail-oriented regarding your operations, there's an equally vital softer aspect that I consider integral to the process. I ensure that you gain a solid grasp of the pertinent issues and their relevance to your role as a fundraiser through meetings and ongoing conversations. Indeed, I think one of the things that sets me apart is the dedicated time I spend with clients, engaging in discussions to evaluate and explore the issues that emerge.
1. Fundraising Evaluation
I will evaluate your existing fundraising strategies and practices to determine their effectiveness. This includes assessing your fundraising goals and the activities to achieve them, as well as your understanding of your donors’ behaviours and motivations.
2. Financial Analysis
I will conduct an in-depth examination of your financial data, looking at revenue streams and the total fundraising mix, fundraising expenditure, return on investment and overall financial health.
3. Communications Audit
I will review your fundraising communications collateral. I will consider content, and look for consistency, clarity, and effectiveness in conveying your organisation's message and inspiring donor engagement as well as the degree to which your strategies improve the experience of the donor.
4. Donor Retention and Relationship Management
I will review your donor retention strategies and stewardship practices. This includes assessing your methods for thanking and cultivating donors, providing regular updates on impact and implementing strategies to build lasting relationships.
5. Organisational alignment
I will then assess the involvement and support of your trustees and staff. This includes evaluating their understanding of fundraising strategies, their participation in donor cultivation and their potential in your future fundraising.
The combination of these five components will provide a comprehensive external assessment of your fundraising.
Discussion, deliberation and debate
Now that I have these findings, I will discuss them with you. You will have deep knowledge of your own organisation: I have broad experience. We will bring the two together and discuss possibilities.
What do you agree with? What surprises you? What do you disagree with? Only after discussion and debate will I begin to write my report. This helps ensure that the audit isn’t a solely external assessment, but also incorporates the realities of fundraising within your specific organisation.
The Report
The final report will be a practical, actionable resource that informs your strategy and planning processes.
“An audit is the voice of reason that ensures harmony between organisational goals and operational realities.”
Projects.
A custom fit.
Do you have particular fundraising problems? Or tasks that you have not had to deal with before? Or a necessary project that you simply don’t have the time or resources to carry out?
Because of the depth and breadth of my experience charities feel confident to approach me for help. While these projects are necessarily tailored to the unique needs of each organisation, here are a few recent examples.
In one, I assessed a major appeal that had encountered a major setback. Through meetings with key staff, volunteers, and donors, I gathered valuable input and proposed potential solutions to move the appeal forward successfully.
I have assisted in the merger of two charities by conducting a thorough review of their fundraising operations. This involved identifying areas of risk and opportunity offering recommendations to ensure a smooth transition.
I have also been involved in designing and conducting research projects for clients. Regardless of the research format, it is crucial that it provides actionable insights to add value. So, it is best to involve me in the initial stages of planning and strategy development.
In summary, charities approach me for various tasks, and I provide customised solutions based on their specific needs. This can range from conducting research, addressing specific barriers to fundraising, to advising on complex management issues.
Regardless of the task, I maintain continuous collaboration with the client for optimal results.
⟶ Case study
Strategy.
The how of things.
Strategy is the very foundation of your fundraising operation. A well thought through and clearly articulated strategy not only helps you directly, but also helps you to lead and inspire your team more effectively, aligning them around common goals. It also helps you to make a convincing case with internal stakeholders, earning their trust and confidence. Conversely, when there is confusion about strategy it often leads to misunderstandings and delays, as well as sub-optimal implementation and performance.
This is as common as it is understandable. Activity often becomes entrenched over time and may precede your tenure, or was right for a particular set of circumstances that no longer pertain. What is more, you may be so busy trying to achieve targets and deadlines that time spent on strategy would seem like a luxury. I would contend, however, that it is indispensable.
I have decades of experience working with organisations of all sizes and will bring this to bear on your particular situation. I am known for my rigorous analysis, objective insight and logical approach, all of which help create clarity. I can help you make well-informed decisions and give you the assurance needed to achieve your goals.
Every case is necessarily unique, but here are some specific ways in which I can help inform and develop your strategy.
Situational analysis
I can review your current fundraising strategy and fundraising operations, and provide a comprehensive analysis.
Identifying fundraising opportunities
Having identified the strengths and weaknesses of your current programme, we can work together refine and improve its effectiveness. Importantly, at this stage we should also identify and prioritise potential new fundraising opportunities.
Developing a fundraising plan
Using these learnings we can now work to create a detailed fundraising plan that outlines the organisation's fundraising goals, strategies, tactics, and metrics. I can help you prioritise fundraising activities, set realistic fundraising targets and create a timeline for implementation.
Implementation
I can then support you in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of your fundraising strategy.
⟶ Case study
Mentoring.
For the journey.
You are not alone. Whether you are a lone fundraiser or a seasoned Appeals Director, I can help. In my many years’ experience, there are very few problems that I have not seen or had to overcome myself. I can serve as a valuable sounding board, offering advice and sharing my expertise to help you find solutions to difficult problems.
Working in fundraising can be highly pressurised, and while your goals may be directly related to fundraising, they might also be about managing and prioritising your workload, exploring your relationships with colleagues, or your personal aspirations for your career.
I provide mentoring services on a regular or occasional basis to empower you to confidently tackle your challenges. This not only contributes to your overall job satisfaction and motivation but also unlocks your untapped potential for the organisation.
It starts with a chat.
⟶ Contact