Opinion and debates
Hot topics abound in fundraising and this showcase puts the spotlight on some of our sector’s most influential controversies and opinions. In these feature articles and debates, fundraisers are free to give their views. These pieces are designed to be balanced, constructive and respectful of the sensitivities of others. Some of the authors have started a debate within their articles, and we invite you to add your ideas in the comments.
From the Myth Smashers: ‘Fundraisers raise funds not friends’
by Lauren McDermott
‘Too often our focus is on our own needs and short-term goals.’ So says Lauren McDermott of Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research in Western Australia, winner of Mythsmashers at the Fundraising Institute of Australia’s annual conference 2020.
Read moreWhy do people give? The podcast with Ken Burnett
by Mark Phillips
We bring you Mark Phillips’ conversation with SOFII founder and fundraising expert Ken Burnett, from the podcast Why do people give?
Read moreFundraising in a time of crisis: the rise of altruism
by Richard Turner
Richard Turner reflects on how people have shown their altruism and goodness in fundraising since the coronavirus outbreak.
Read moreFrom the Myth Smashers: Is fundraising all about the money?
by Claire Hughes
What is fundraising all about? If you think it’s all about making money, then think again. Claire Hughes talks you through how we can all smash this fundraising myth.
Read moreFrom the Myth Smashers: The myth of the ‘rational donor’
by Alice Anwar
In the first presentation from Myth Smashers, an I Wish I’d Thought Of That (IWITOT)-inspired event that takes place every year down under, Alice Anwar of CARE Australia explores the myth of donor rationality and asks, ‘can the head and the heart ever be friends’?
Read moreMeet the fundraising Myth Smashers
by Joe Burnett
SOFII shares the winning presentations from Myth Smashers, Fundraising Institute of Australia’s IWITOT-inspired event. These young fundraisers each shine a light on dispiriting fundraising myths and show how they can be overcome.
Read moreAn ethical, principled approach to donors and fundraising: a strategy case study from World Land Trust
by John Burton
In this first part of three, CEO John Burton of the World Land Trust outlines his organisation’s fundraising ethos and how this has helped them grow and make an impact on the environment.
Read moreDo you have the answer to the donor consent issue? Here’s a behavioural scientist’s perspective
by Kiki Koutmeridou
Asking for your donors’ consent about when and how to contact them is a hot topic right now. Where do you stand?
Read moreServe or inspire? That is the question
by Richard Turner
Inspire is often a misused word in the fundraising world but it is not just a way of recruiting and even retaining donors. Inspiration can go much, much further.
Read moreWhat the gender pay gap is – and what it isn’t
by Beverley Callaghan
In the wake of the furore around pay at the BBC, experienced fundraiser Beverley Callaghan says it's time to clear up the confusion around the gender pay gap, and how this affects the voluntary sector.
Gender equality in salaries starts with us
by Marc Pitman
Marc A Pitman shares his anger at the way we accept gender disparity when it comes to salaries, and challenges the charities sector to change its ways for the good of all organisations.
Read moreSpot the elementary mistake in this advertisement
by Andrew Papworth
Embracing the Internet is of course crucial for modern charities. Andrew Papworth, however, argues that this World Food Programme ad makes the mistake of ignoring an important section of society by focusing so heavily on online users.
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