The Fundraiser’s Toolbox
You know that fundraising is hard work. To be successful you need to be well equipped to take on all its challenges. At SOFII, we thought you might like some help. So we’ve put together this fundraiser’s toolbox that we’ll be filling with essential examples, formats, articles, case studies, ideas and tips that we think every fundraiser should know about.
The fundraising climate: a consumer confidence update
by Andrew Papworth
Do you agree with Andrew Papworth when he says that fundraisers are going to find it tough for the foreseeable future? Here on SOFII you’ll find his thoughts on the latest consumer confidence survey
Read moreWhy I struggle to be proud to be a fundraiser.
by Giles Pegram CBE
Fundraisers at the Institute of Fundraising’s national convention in London this week were enthusiastically greeting the theme Proud to be a Fundraiser. But in this latest article on SOFII, celebrated fundraiser Giles Pegram claims that he struggles with the concept. Is he just being provocative? Find out here.
Read moreAssessing your board’s governance capacity
by Simone Joyaux
If you need to do individual assessments of each member of your board, but aren’t sure how to go about it Simone Joyaux shows you the route to optimum board performance.
Read moreSOFII’s June must-reads
by Pamela Grow & Craig Linton
There are some great things for you in this month’s must-reads, including why we fundraisers must stop the madness of ‘churn and burn’ direct mail, what you can do if you are trying to raise money for what some call an ‘unworthy’ cause. And the Agitator with a simple twist on making your stories compelling for your donors.
Read moreThe power of passion
by Per Stenbeck
In this moving personal account veteran fundraiser Per Stenbeck explains and introduces why passion underpins innovation for him. In the accompanying text below he then goes on to outline his three golden rules of fundraising.
Read moreRecession-proof fundraising: How to fundraise out of bad times
by Marc Pitman
Turn on any news show and you’ll hear analysts and pundits forecasting economic doom and gloom. Their reports are filled with words and phrases like ‘economic downturn’, ‘soft economy’ and the dreaded ‘recession’.
Read moreA day with the jam ladies
by Kimberley MacKenzie
In our first entry of this new inspiring showcase, Kimberley Mackenzie from Ontario Nature, Canada, shares her holiday memories and how one moving and touching day reminded her of the essential values of good fundraising and how to change the world.
Read moreTop 10 tips for retaining fundraisers
by Frances Hurst
You can hardly pick up a newspaper these days without reading how wonderful it is to work for a charity.
Read moreWords count: Why fundraisers have to change what they say and how they say it
by Bob Levy
Over the last decade, the direct marketing industry has been smitten by data base gurus who have touted the segmentation of donor files as a process akin to the magical mystery tour.
Read moreThe dangers of requests for proposal
by Roger Craver
This week legendary Agitator Roger Craver joins in with his opinion on the ‘request for proposal’. And he’s not pulling any punches about what he believes is ‘...among the Great idiocies of our nonprofit world’. Click here to see more and to find out what he does admire and praise.
Read moreRethinking the way we think
by Charlie Hulme
A review of Dan Pallotta’s TED talk, The way we think about charity is dead wrong.
Read moreReasons to be cheerful: the 2013 Charity Pulse survey
by Frances Hurst
Now from Frances Hurst we learn that fundraisers in the UK have reasons to be cheerful. The recent Charity Pulse survey shows that UK fundraisers have resumed their previous position among the happiest of charity employees.
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