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 …

Challenge and Change The shock of COVID 19 meant I couldn’t think of anything useful to say over the past three weeks. This week I hope I have something worth saying.  As the administrator of a Charitable Trust, as well as being a Fundraiser, I have been able to view charities reacting to this crisis in real time. The crisis …

These blogs are beginning to look more like a travelogue than about Fundraising. So far we have Rowed the Atlantic, done Everest the Easy Way and navigated Spain. I’ve learnt from all of them  and I’m still thinking about my last blog; The Length of Spain… Barefoot! holds another lesson. In fundraising time is not on your side. My sister first told …