Capital Fundraising in the UK: The Compton Way

Authors:

Dave Griffiths

ISBN Number:

0954751906

Price:

GBP 25

From the fundamentals of organising a campaign to advice on how to successfully ask for a gift without losing your friends, Compton gives you all the information you need to raise millions of pounds the Compton Way.

Review

by Julie Byczynski, Campaign Manager for the Royal Shakespeare Company's £100 million capital campaign to transform its home in Stratford-upon-Avon.
31 July 2006

Easy to read and digest, Andrew Day and Paul Molloy's Capital Fundraising in the UK - the Compton Way is a practical, straightforward guide for anyone faced with the challenge of raising money for a capital project. In truth, it is a worthwhile read for any fundraiser since it is based on the 'tried and tested principles and techniques' of major gift fundraising.

Usefully, Day and Molloy begin with a survey of the current state of philanthropy in the UK, backing up their argument that the potential for major gift fundraising in this country is immense: 10% of the population has 75% of the wealth, there are substantial tax incentives to give (such as income and capital gains tax relief with gifts of quoted shares), and lastly, over the past 25 years there has been striking growth in charitable donations.

With the statistics out of the way, the authors move on to establish the underlying premise of this book and indeed their own professional approach to capital fundraising: there are no secrets, complicated theories or magic wands. Fundraising, capital or otherwise, is 'organised common sense.'

It is perhaps a startling admission for professionals who make their livelihood as fundraising consultants, but one with which I firmly agree. As fundraisers, we know well the looks of dumbfounded confusion when we reveal our chosen profession to others at dinner parties. It is that same lack of understanding that has resulted in a very small pool of volunteers willing to take on fundraising and make the all-important ask.

The point, of course, is that just because it is common sense, it doesn't mean it is easily done. Particularly helpful are the chapters on identifying prospects (not suspects), developing your campaign plan ('success is 80% planning') and the chapters on volunteer leadership (the importance of influence and affluence). Communications and information management are also addressed in the same, step-by-step manner.

Throughout, Day and Molloy use bullet points, check lists and charts to summarise key points and strategies such as the top 20 reasons why major donors give, a 14 point framework for your campaign plan and the five steps to a successful ask. The danger of such lists is over simplification, but this is tempered by the final chapter which emphasises that fundraising is not a science and that a 'copy and paste' approach simply doesn't work.

The importance of the major gift fundraising principles of 'leadership by example' and 'there's only one way to get big money. Ask for it' cannot be overstated, and these themes arise consistently throughout the book and form the basis of the techniques, tips and strategies proposed.

Though there's a certain amount of built-in bias in a book on capital campaigns published by a fundraising consultancy firm, the authors' experience in working on a myriad of campaigns is invaluable. With a combined 40 years of managing volunteer-led campaigns, Day and Molloy don't just rely on theory and text books, but on their experiences with real people - donors, volunteers and professionals - in real life situations.

Whilst most of the book tells us what to do and how to do it, the authors very helpfully also point out where capital campaigns go wrong. We are sagely warned to 'beware' phrases such as 'All we need to do is ask a million people to give us £1 each' and 'I give my time, I shouldn't also be expected to give my money.'

I can't honestly say that I learned anything revolutionary by reading this book, but it is one that I will come back to many times over. For the experienced fundraiser, reading 'Capital Fundraising in the UK - the Compton Way' provides an opportunity to take that all-important step back and return to the basic principles of major gifts. For board members, campaign chairs and executive directors, it will de-mystify the art of fundraising and instil the confidence needed to forge ahead.

Facing a looming capital campaign can be a lot like standing at the bottom of Mount Everest. It's daunting and more than just a little overwhelming. When the pathway is unclear and the end is out of sight, this book will lift the fog and bring the clarity you need to reach the summit.