Synecdoche, synecdoche…we all fall down

by George Smith

George again takes up the baton for fine writing. Or does he when he encourages you, the fundraiser, to grab the word ‘synecdoche’.? What in the name of sanity is that?

‘Who says that, these days, off-the-page donor recruitment can’t be massively profitable?’

by Ken Burnett

This candid exposé shares with you the inside story of a remarkable acquisition success, though it took such to-ing and fro-ing to achieve it that SOFII lost one of its star acts for the epic Once Upon I Wish I’d Thought Of That. Despite this sad story Indra Sinha’s experience shows that a former fundraising faithful is far, far from finished. And that fine writing is still worth its weight in gold.

Who pays the tab at a meeting with a donor?

by Marc Pitman

During a recent coaching call, my client asked me to walk her step-by-step through an upcoming meeting with a donor. I love doing this!

Four tips that can help land corporate donations

by Robert Bellovin

Raising money from commercial organisations is a bit like Marmite – you either love it, or hate it. But you can’t deny it that it does raise money. If you’re thinking about putting a toe in the water – check out this article that is full of advice for practitioners on how to go about it.

Top tips to get the best from your agency - part 3

by Gill McLellan

Part three of Gill McLennan's insight into how the best relationships are managed and she shares more tips on how to get the most from your agency, as well as your colleagues, to ensure your project is the best it can be.

The UK donor commitment study. And why it could be worth thousands of pounds to you and your cause

by Ken Burnett

An open letter from SOFII’s managing trustee announcing a free SOFII/ Agitator webinar of some importance.

How you can become your organisation’s competitive edge

by Bernard Ross & Clare Segal

When I heard about the idea of using psychology to raise more money I couldn’t imagine how that would fit into my previous learning about the pyramids, loops and ladders that are so familiar to many of us fundraisers. The fact is – it doesn’t….

Reviewed for SOFII by Kimberley MacKenzie.

Setting out and summarising the every-day business of excellence

by ​Henry A. (Hank) Rosso

If you have not read Rosso and his associates’ work, I thoroughly recommend this compendium of 500-plus pages. In it we find the analytical models of the ‘donor pyramid’, the ‘campaign planning cycle’, the ‘concentric circles... and a coherent expression of a philosophy.

Reviewed for SOFII by Roewen Wishart.

Secrets of a great funding proposal

by Cheryl A Clarke

The foreword to this short and readable book summarises its value well, ‘For reluctant writers who need warm-up exercises and structured lessons…and for seasoned grant writers who get caught up in the jargon of our fields’…

Reviewed for SOFII by Roewen Wishart.

The essence of fundraising practice from the world’s most famous fundraising academic

by Adrian Sargeant

‘A comprehensive selection of knowledge that is both readable and well structured’. Be sure to let us know if you agree.

Reviewed for SOFII by Roewen Wishart. 

All you need to be a complete fundraiser

by Steve Harrison

Howard Luck Gossage reinvented advertising to change the world. He created a revolutionary approach to combining press and PR, kick-started the Green movement, coined the term ‘interactive’, influenced and continues to influence advertisers and communicators the world over. In so doing he became ‘the complete fundraiser’. If you know less about HLG than maybe you should, start reading here.

Reviewed for SOFII by Ken Burnett.

Asking Properly: the art of creative fundraising

by Charlie Hulme

Charlie Hulme asks you to use the quotes in his review of George Smith’s seminal work Asking Properly: the Art of Creative Writing as a mirror. If you despair at times, don’t worry; if you see where you’re going wrong Asking Properly will put it right.