A founding Chief Executive’s view on fundraising

Howard Lake | 7 May 2013 | Blogs

It is a little over 10 years since I had the vision for Create, a charity that would make society fairer, more caring and more inclusive by using the power of the arts to transform lives.  When Create started operating from my dining room a few months later, in July 2003, I never dreamt that we would have impacted the lives of more than 25,000 disadvantaged and vulnerable people by 2013!

Any small charity faces financial challenges and I believe that our success is due in no small part to our approach to fundraising.  As a start-up charity back in 2003, garnering loyal funders was the biggest hurdle.  It can be difficult to fundraise successfully when your charity is young and you don’t yet have a proven track-record. 

Ten years on, having developed a clearly evaluated programme of highly successful projects, we can demonstrate the impact of our work and our credibility as a charity is therefore easier to quantify. 

'Personal experiences… the driving factor behind strongest funding proposals'

When it comes to persuading donors to invest in your project, not only do you need to make sure that it is an exact match for their charitable priorities, you need to demonstrate the impact that you will be making with their investment.  Over time, this has become easier for Create, as we have collected an archive of data, compelling participant stories and testimonials from other funders.  

Being able to draw on the personal experiences of the people we work with, whose lives have been profoundly impacted by our projects is, I think, the driving factor behind some of Create’s strongest funding proposals.  I have ensured that sustainable impact underpins all Create projects, making them attractive investments for donors.

'Prioritise human interest over faceless statistics'

Personal contact and high quality stewardship are also crucial in attracting and maintaining funding, as is a deep passion for the work you do.  I have never approached fundraising with a begging bowl mentality.  I believe that supporting the work of charities like Create offers people a chance to do something profound and meaningful, so it’s important to prioritise human interest over faceless statistics (though both are important). 

Etched in my heart is the individual donor – a highly successful City banker – who came with me to see the project that he had funded.  He told me it was the most meaningful thing he’d done all year:  "Supporting Create, you get to see first-hand where your money is going.  Attending a workshop and knowing that you have made that possible is an incredible feeling."

Be ready

On the first fundraising course I ever attended, the tutor told us to “be ready” and that advice has been invaluable over the years.  For example, a few months ago, as I left an event, I got chatting to a man as he hailed a taxi.  I asked for his business card.  A Partner at a major City law firm, his company has just made Create a grant from its charitable foundation.  This chance encounter has generated over £8,000 for Create, meaning many, many transformed lives over the coming months.

Lessons from 10 years

So what have I learnt after ten years with Create?  Firstly, perseverance pays off.   This maxim continues to prove itself time and again.   So much time and effort is invested into fundraising applications that it can be difficult when a rejection letter comes through.  But we’ve so had such success here at Create, including a recent grant of £84,000, confirming to me that it’s time well-spent. 

As a small charity it is important to prioritise fundraising: I really focused on this in 2012 by appointing Create’s first Development Director and our brilliant, voluntary Development Council.  We have ambitious plans to increase funding by at least 20% per annum over the next three years and, having just had our most successful year to date, increasing our turnover by 39%, winning four prestigious awards and delivering 50% more workshops than the previous year, I am confident that we are on the right track. Fingers crossed!

If fundraising is an integral part of your organisation it really pays off, quite literally.

I have been in my new role as Chief Executive since December (I was previously Executive Director) and this is a very exciting time to lead the Create team, particularly as we are celebrating our 10th anniversary this year.

About Nicky Goulder

Create was born from a vision Nicky had in December 2002 of a charity that would use the power of the arts to transform lives. She is motivated by her longing for a fair, caring, inclusive society in which every individual can fulfil their potential.

Prior to co-founding the charity in July 2003, she was Chief Executive of the Orchestra of St John's. She has many years' experience in creative arts management, before which she was a Marketing Executive at KPMG. She was a volunteer Childline Counsellor for five years before becoming a Samaritan in January 2002; is on the YouthXpress leadership team at Southwark Cathedral, where she works with young people aged 11-18; and is a Trustee of the Queen's Nursing Institute. Nicky has a First Class BSc (Hons) in Marketing (with arts) and the Chartered Institute of Marketing Diploma.  She has just completed a History of Art Certificate at Birkbeck College, University of London.

About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale. He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.