Why you need a fundraiser on your board

One of the key responsibilities of a non-profit board is to ensure that the organisation has enough resources to fulfil its mission. This means supporting them with their fundraising programmes.

Among their responsibilities set out in the Good Governance Code, trustees should regularly review charity’s key policies and procedures (including fundraising), and ensure that the fundraising targets are appropriate, realistic, and measurable.

Despite the important role trustees play, evidence shows that fundraising expertise is lacking on many trustee boards. In fact, according to the Institute of Fundraising’s Get Raising report, 81% of respondents said that fundraising skills and experience were underrepresented on Boards they’d worked with, while 92% said that having a fundraiser on their board would help them with their job.

What are the benefits for charities of having fundraisers as trustees?

Not only can it help charity boards embed an informed and innovative fundraising strategy, manage risk appropriately and ensure compliance, it’s also a great opportunity for fundraisers to develop their management and strategic skills, with the view to progressing into a management role.

So why aren’t more fundraisers stepping up to become trustees?

A report by Peridot Partners and The Social Change Agency found the following concerns:

• Fundraisers often feel that they’re not the ‘right ft’ for charity boards - that they’re unable to live up to the expected image of a traditional trustee. As a result, they’re put off from applying.

• Many fundraisers felt they would be unable to secure the time off work or fit the role in with their other commitments if they weren’t supported by their employers.

• Despite already working in the charity sector, many fundraisers reported that they do not know where to look for trustee roles.

• When recruiting, it was felt that boards look for more traditional skills such as accountancy or legal experience, and do not consider fundraising skills to be as relevant. As a result, they fail to recognise the valuable skills and experience of their own fundraisers.

What can you do to increase fundraising governance skills on your board?

• Consider how you can support your staff to become trustees. Do you offer reasonable flexibility to allow employees to attend Board meetings and fulfil the role? Is it a part of your staff development plans and HR processes?

• Your trustee board should review how they operate to ensure they encourage a diverse range of people to join. The times of meetings, or contribution expected should suit those who have to juggle work and family commitments.

• Encourage your fundraisers to become trustees as part of their personal development plans.

• Your boards should consider creating a fundraising subcommittee as a stepping stone for fundraisers to join the board, to provide better scrutiny and governance around your  fundraising activity.

Final Word

Whether you’re a fundraiser looking to take on a trustee role, or a charity looking to implement a strategy to support trustee-fundraisers, we can help. Call us on 020 3750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk.

How to fundraise on Facebook & Instagram

Facebook needs little introduction. The Meta-owned site is the world’s most popular social media platform, with a whopping 2.96 billion monthly active users. To put it in perspective, that’s roughly 37% of people on the planet.

This alone is reason enough to add Facebook to your digital fundraising arsenal, but over and above that, it appeals to a broad demographic. 25 -34-year-olds make up the lion’s share of its audience, followed by 18- to 24-year-olds.

But it’s also the social media platform of choice for the 50+ market.

It’s also worth noting that over 7 million people in the UK have donated to a good cause via Facebook, through birthday fundraisers, virtual challenge events, tribute fundraisers, and the trusty donate button (more about that later).

Instagram in numbers

The third most popular social media site after Facebook and YouTube, Instagram boasts 2 billion monthly active users.   

As with Facebook, the largest share of users is the 25-34 age group, followed by 18–24-year-olds.  

How can Facebook & Instagram be used for fundraising?

You can generate income in various ways on both platforms, but to do so you need to apply to use Meta’s fundraising tools. Once approved, you’ll be able to use the tools, enable supporters to fundraise on your behalf, and access detailed fundraising analytics.

Bear in mind, applications take 2-3 weeks to be reviewed.

Here’s a step by step guide to applying.

Tip: To use the fundraising tools on Instagram, you need to have an Instagram business account and link it to your Facebook account.

What are the various fundraising tools?

Charity page fundraisers

The ‘fundraiser’ tool enables you to create dedicated fundraising pages which can be promoted and shared to encourage donations.

You can personalise your page with a cover photo, description, and fundraising goal.

The beauty of fundraisers is, every time someone donates, they are prompted to share the page with friends. These shares contain a donate button, making it easy for recipients to donate straight from their news feed.

Once you’re approved to use Meta’s fundraising tools, your supporters can set up fundraisers on your behalf. Birthday fundraisers can be particularly lucrative. Just ask UK based charity, Sands. The stillbirth and neo natal death charity raised £68,000 in one month from Facebook birthday fundraisers alone!

Tip: To enable people to raise money on your behalf, you need to have Facebook Fundraising turned on. Find out how to do this here.

On Instagram, you can add fundraisers to posts and reels (60-second videos), but bear in mind, you can only do the latter on a mobile phone or Ipad. 

Tip: If your Instagram profile is set to public, your fundraiser will be visible to anyone. If it’s private, only people who follow you will be able to see it and donate.

Donate button

This tool does what it says on the tin – it provides a quick and easy way for supporters to contribute to your cause.

On Facebook, you can add a donate button to your profile, posts, paid ads, and Live videos. On Instagram, you can add a button to your profile, but for stories (15-second videos) and reels, you’ll need to create a donation sticker.

Tip: Before you can add a donate button to either app, you'll need to sign up for Meta Pay.

Facebook and Instagram Live

Live video is a powerful way to reach, engage with, and inspire people to donate.

You can use it to (for example), tell stories that explain your mission, raise awareness of your cause, or explain how donors’ money is being spent.

You can even stream live fundraising events, as Facebook Live content can be streamed for up to 8 hours, and Instagram Live up to 4 hours.

Viewers can react, comment, and ask questions during live streams on both platforms, giving you a prime opportunity to engage with them. 

Tip: On Facebook, a recording of the stream will be published to your page automatically once the live stream ends, but you’ll need to share your Instagram streams manually.

Fundraising insights dashboard

Another handy tool in Meta’s fundraising arsenal is the Fundraiser Insights Dashboard. You can use it to measure the progress of your fundraising campaigns and donations made to your organisation. The information is updated in real time.

To access your dashboard, click ‘Fundraisers’, then select ‘Insights.’

You can learn how to use your dashboard here.

Final Word

Facebook and Instagram are behemoths in the social media world. If you’re not taking advantage of their immense influence and reach, use this guide to get started!

If you’re looking for a digital savvy fundraiser to help, give us a call on 020 3750 3111 or info@bamboofundraising.co.uk.

The benefits of cross-charity collaboration

Charities across the UK do a fantastic job providing vital support and services to those in need. But times are tough. A combination of the cost-of-living crisis and increased demand for services has put a strain on many.

We’d argue that it’s never been more important for charities to consider collaborating to achieve their mission, reduce costs, and multiply the impact they have across the sector.

Read on to find out why.

How can charities collaborate?

There are loads of ways charities can work together. For example:

• Sharing knowledge, skills, and information can help you solve problems and increase impact.

• Sharing office space, facilities, and/or equipment can reduce costs.

• Running joint fundraising events can help you reach a wider pool of donors.

• Establishing new programmes/services can help you better serve beneficiaries.

• Joint training sessions can help you establish best practice and explore better ways of working in your niche.

• Teaming up to campaign for change will enable you to speak with greater authority.

Case Studies

Now we’ve identified some of the ways charities can cross collaborate, let’s see how organisations have put it into action.

One Cancer Voice

When it comes to campaigning, there’s strength in numbers. Take One Cancer Voice. In 2021, over 50 cancer charities including Breast Cancer Now, Cancer Research UK and Teenage Cancer Trust formed a coalition to campaign for the NHS and UK government to tackle the backlog of cancer cases as a result of the COVID pandemic.

As a collective, they released a statement setting out a plan of action, and urged ‘our 4 nation governments and the NHS to make it a reality’.

The lobbying resulted in a commitment from the government to provide ‘hundreds of millions of pounds in additional funding over the SR21 period to ensure a bigger and better trained NHS workforce”.

British Red Cross & FareShare

Back in 2020, the British Red Cross and UK food charity, FareShare, came together in a bid to keep the country fed during the pandemic. Combining FareShare’s food redistribution network with resources and volunteers from the Red Cross, the partnership enabled the delivery of 2 million meals a week to those at risk of hunger, (up from 1m million before lockdown).

Brainathlon 

In 2021, Brain Research UK, Brain Tumour Research and Epilepsy Research UK launched a collaborative fundraising campaign in a bid to make up for the income shortfall caused by the pandemic.

The charities asked their supporters to take part in Brainathlon - a virtual fundraising challenge that required participants to run 15 miles, walk 10 miles and climb 1.2 miles (or 2, 500 stairs) whilst raising money for three neuro research charities.

The campaign raised a much needed £61,000, which was distributed equally between the three causes.

Wrapping up

If these examples have convinced you of the power of collaboration, there’s lots of advice and guidance on NCVO’s website.

Don’t forget, if you’re a fundraiser looking for a new role, or a charity on the hunt for a fundraising professional to join your team, we can help. Give us a call on 020 3750 3111 today!

Extrovert v Introvert: Which personality type makes the best fundraiser?

From recruiting volunteers and cold-calling donors to pitching businesses for corporate support and networking, fundraising is all about creating connections and building relationships. For some, it comes naturally. For others, it can be excruciating.

And it all comes down to whether you’re an introvert or extrovert.

The two terms were developed by Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung in the 1920s and refer to the way in which a person focuses their energy. Put simply, Jung suggests that introverts draw energy from being alone, while extroverts are fulfilled by interaction with others.

Let’s break it down a little further.

Extroverts

People with high levels of extroversion tend to feel comfortable in social situations. They’re usually outgoing, talkative, and happy to be the centre of attention. They enjoy meeting new people and tend to have a wide social network.  

Introverts

People with low levels of extroversion (introverts) tend to be quieter, more cerebral, and reflective than extroverts. They feel more comfortable socialising in small groups.

Instead of seeking stimulation by socialising, introverts receive it from within, and are content with their own company.

Note: This is a simplified version of the theory. You can read about the theory in detail here.

Introvert vs Extrovert: characteristics

The chart below by MindJournal outlines some of the common characteristics of introverts and extroverts. But bear in mind, it’s not as clear-cut as it looks. In reality, most of us exhibit qualities of both personality types and fall somewhere between the two.

Instead of thinking of introversion and extroversion as two separate extremes, think of them in terms of a range or spectrum.

 Curious to know where you fall on the scale? This Myers Briggs test will provide you with some useful feedback.

Introvert v extrovert fundraisers

Now you have an idea of some of the differences between extroverts and introverts, let’s go back to the original question: which personality type makes a better fundraiser?

There’s a common assumption that fundraising is an extrovert’s game. After all, extroverts enjoy being sociable and find it easy to strike up conversations with people they don’t know.

That’s what fundraising is all about right?

Not quite. As you well know, there’s a lot more to fundraising than chatting up a storm. And there are some fundraising roles in which introverts have the edge over extroverts.

Here are just a few ways introverts and extroverts can thrive in a fundraising environment.

Extroverts

• Extroverts are comfortable and confident in social situations. Happy to strike up conversations with anyone and everyone, put them on the front line of a fundraising event and they’ll be the life and soul of the party.

• Need someone to cold call lapsed donors? Give the job to an extrovert. They thrive on verbal communication, enjoy chatting to new people, and their assertive and fearless nature means they won’t shy away from asking for what they want.

• Extroverts are great at motivating and getting the best out of people - in terms of conversation, energy, and confidence. These traits make them ideal mentors - for junior fundraisers/members of your team. They can also excel at recruiting and managing volunteers.

Introverts

• Introverts like to connect with people on a one-on-one basis. Sensitive and observant, they spend less time talking and more time listening. These tendencies are more aligned with building long-term relationships, making them excellent major donor or legacy fundraisers.

• A 2018 study found that introverts tend to make more accurate observations about human behaviour than extroverts. In other words, they may be able to "read" people and understand them better. This is because they spend more time observing than interacting, which can make them very insightful.

• If you’re planning a fundraising event, your introverted fundraisers may not want to be on the frontline, but they can be valuable assets behind the scenes, as they’re detail oriented. For this reason, they often excel at administrative tasks like database management.

Final Word

In answer to the original question, neither introverts nor extroverts make better fundraisers. Both personality types possess qualities that enable them to excel. The secret to success is knowing the strengths and weaknesses of your personality profile and how they affect your interactions with donors and colleagues.

The strongest fundraising teams comprise of introverts and extroverts. If you want some help building yours, give us a call on 0203 750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk

Do the standards around door-to-door fundraising need an overhaul?

Disclaimer: The experience and views outlined in this post are my own.

My 75-year-old mother has Alzheimer’s. I recently discovered - by chance - when going through her bank statements that monthly payments were being made to three charities, amounting to £250.

Knowing this was financially unsustainable for her, I contacted the organisations to cancel the payments. When asked how she’d been solicited, I was told she’d been approached by door-to-door fundraisers.

I asked my mother about the direct debits, but she had no recollection of signing up for them. When I told her how much money was leaving her account each month, she got anxious and upset.

The experience raised several red flags for me, as:

• My mother is a pensioner.

• She has dementia.

• She’s empathetic and generous by nature.

In short, she’s vulnerable.

I should say at this point, I have nothing against face-to-face fundraising per say. I appreciate it’s a valuable source of income for charities. This is evident from Chartered Institute of Fundraising figures, which showed a sharp rise in door-to-door sign ups, with 28,400 people committing in April 2022 compared with 14,500 in the same month in 2019.

My concern is that the regulations around soliciting donations from vulnerable people are not stringent enough.

What are the rules?

Section 1.3 of the Code of Fundraising Practice outlines the following standards on fundraising and vulnerability:

• You must take into account the needs of any possible donor who may be in vulnerable circumstances or need extra care and support to make an informed decision.

• You must not exploit the trust, lack of knowledge, apparent need for care and support, or vulnerable circumstances of any donor at any time.

• You must not take a donation if you know, or have good reason to believe, that a person lacks the capacity to make a decision to donate, or is in vulnerable circumstances which means they may not be able to make an informed decision. Among other things, you should consider:
  

• any physical or mental health conditions the person may have.

• any disabilities the person may have.

• any learning difficulties the person may have.

• whether the person is facing times of stress or anxiety (for example, following the death of a loved one or redundancy).

• whether a donation is likely to affect the person’s ability to sufficiently care for themselves or leave them in financial hardship.

• how well the person can communicate and understand what they are being told.

• whether the person is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

• the person’s age.

Is it ethical?

My concern about these rules is that indicators of vulnerability aren’t always obvious.

Take Dementia, for example. (For the unfamiliar, Dementia is an umbrella term for a range of medical conditions that affect memory, thinking, behaviour, and the ability to perform everyday activities). Many of these conditions are progressive, but the signs and symptoms can change from day to day, or (in the case of my mother, from hour to hour). 

My question would be this. Can a fundraiser make a fair and informed assessment of someone’s capacity to make an ongoing financial commitment based on a 10-minute chat on the doorstep?

Voice of the Regulator

Last year, the Fundraising Regulator urged charities to be “increasingly careful about the risks of requesting donations from people with dementia” and to “factor in” the way the UK’s population is set to age, especially when dealing with potential donors who are older and in poor health.

The warning followed the release of the regulator’s 2021/22 annual complaint’s report, in which it said it had seen a 19% increase in complaints on the previous year.

The majority of the complaints related to ‘misleading information in campaigns’, ‘negative behaviour from fundraisers’, and ‘fundraisers posting charity bags through doors despite signs asking them not to’.

The regulator pointed out that concerns about fundraising from vulnerable people “threaded through” many of the complaints it received and said it would “continue to work closely with charities to support them in the areas of concern identified in the report and to ensure they are properly equipped with the tools to fundraise appropriately.”

Opinion

The 2016 Charities Act introduced regulatory measures to protect vulnerable donors, but I’d  argue that additional steps need to be taken. For example, face-to-face fundraisers should receive comprehensive training on common physical and mental health issues donors may face, and the signs to look out for (the Chartered Institute of Fundraising has published guidance on this here). It would also be beneficial for fundraisers to ask homeowners to disclose physical or mental health conditions at the point of sign-up.

What do you think?

We’d love to get your opinion on the subject. Post your thoughts on our Facebook or Insta pages and we’ll include them in a follow-up post.

In the meantime, if you’re looking for a fundraiser to update your vulnerable person’s policy, we’ve got a bank of talented candidates waiting in the wings. Call us on 020 3750 3111.