The first time I asked someone to donate to a charitable cause I made a complete hash of it. To be fair, it was a wealthy potential donor with an impressive array of defensive strategies to deploy against an inexperienced fundraiser. In an earlier blog, Two ears two eyes one mouth, I described “the highwayman approach” as an example of …

Asking for money is something most people don’t like to do. It makes them feel awkward and embarrassed. But if you are going to be a Fundraiser it is definitely something you have to overcome. Otherwise you could compare it to being a conscientious objector and then enlisting for the army. There are various factors that make people reluctant to …

So who gets the money? Many of my fundraising projects have involved organisations that were new to fundraising. They often thought that the appointment of a fundraiser removed the pressure and responsibility of getting the money from their shoulders. Huge sigh of relief; let him get on with it. This was followed by the shock realisation that my appointment actually …

In my last blog “Herd Instinct” I used the phrase “standing in the donor’s shoes”. It is one of the key skills a successful fundraiser needs to cultivate. Call it empathy, sensitivity or whatever, but it is the ability to visualise how your story sounds from the prospect’s viewpoint. Fundraisers develop passion for their cause and are sometimes so keen …

Herd Instinct In this blog I’m still on the side of the table where the grant maker sits. As a grant administrator I have been receiving a large number of special appeals for support because of COVID 19. I’m not certain whether the applicants are obeying Churchill’s maxim of “Never waste a good crisis” or if they think this situation …