In my fundraising I have always taken the approach that different charities need different approaches to fundraising. I have always believed that not every income stream is suited to every charity and the balance of the funding mix is not always the same (although a mix of income is essential).
What has always surprised me and continues to do so, is the number of charities and fundraisers who think there is one magic answer to fundraising. One way to write an appeal, one way to write a trust application, one way to approach philanthropists etc.
The last few years have really confirmed for me that my approach of putting flexibility at the heart of fundraising is essential. In my opinion, the organisations that have survived and even thrived through the pandemic (and now the cost-of-living crisis), are those who have a culture that embraces flexibility (this also includes flexibility in service delivery).
To bring this to life; I have seen some organisations this past Christmas have their most successful Christmas appeal to date while others have run appeals that have really struggled to raise funds. Is this because one appeal was amazing and the other not? No, probably not. It was more likely because the organisations that did well were the ones that assessed whether their appeal would still be appropriate and relevant for their supporter base, and they thought about how they could communicate their need to those people.
I could write about this topic for ages but like to keep these blogs short. So here are a few thoughts on flexibility for 2023:
- Have a fundraising strategy and implementation plan but don’t be afraid to flex that as different income streams perform differently
- Don’t just do an event, appeal etc. because you have always done so. Assess whether it is relevant for your supporters in the current climate, and if it isn’t, don’t waste resources doing it
- Recognise that certain approaches might not perform well in the current economic climate despite the level of effort you put in. This is okay and isn’t a reflection of an individual
- Try to really understand your existing supporters. Although acquisition of new supporters is important, committed supporters are essential. Understand their views of the organisation, their historic behaviours, their average donation amount etc. This will guide you in your activities and asks
- The overall fundraising target is more important than individual income streams. If one income stream reaches its target before the end of the year, don’t stop. Flex and use that success to support areas that might not be performing so well
- You don’t have to try every new approach that comes along. Focus on what might work for your organisation and its donors
- And finally – remember to breathe!
