The shock resignation of Amanda McLean as CEO of the IoF has come at a difficult time for the Institute, as it is also still seeking a permanent Chair of Trustees.
Every couple of years, the tabloid media target charities that “waste money on fundraising and administration”. So how can you protect your charity from this charge?
What is it that best motivates a donor to give to your cause? It could be any one of a number of factors (gratitude, duty, idealism, habit etc), but this week I was reminded of a particularly effective one, which some charities perhaps overlook.
At this week’s IoF West Midlands seminar on capital appeals we had a stark reminder that major appeals can still succeed, even when things don’t go to plan. It was a valuable and encouraging lesson for any of you who may be struggling to meet your target!
I know Gift Aid can seem dull, but it really is worth getting right, especially with regard to higher rate taxpayers. I picked up a good tip recently for charities looking to maximise their return from wealthier donors. It works like this.
It’s easy to think of turbulent times as just a threat, rather than an opportunity. After all, aren’t lots of our donors about to lose their jobs and won’t statutory grants be drying up soon? The challenge then is to look beyond the usual solutions and find new ways to raise resources.
Reading a history of the WWII occupation of the Channel Islands, I was amazed to discover that in 1945, after liberation from German rule, a Red Cross appeal raised £170,000, an astonishing amount for that time. So what can we learn from this today?
This year membership of the Institute of Fundraising reached 5,500 for the first time. That’s a lot of fundraisers! They recognise the value to their careers and to the sector of the IoF and its work on their behalf. But hang on – what about the thousands of others who call themselves professionals but have not yet joined? Do they know something we don’t or are they missing a trick?
