Staying motivated in an era of austerity can be hard, but recent events, both planned and unplanned, show the need for, and the power of, fundraising, says Stephen Cotterill.

Motivation is one of the essential intangibles of being in the fundraising business. No matter how often the follow-up call fails to convert or the direct mail campaign falls on indifferent doormats, fundraisers have to get back on their feet, dust themselves off and do it all again. It is tough in times of austerity and can be thankless even at the best of times. But most fundraisers know that it is worth it.

Two recent events underscore the importance of what fundraisers do and why they do it.

Firstly, the devastating earthquake in Nepal, which at time of writing had killed 4,300 people, with that figure expected to rise tragically in the coming days and weeks. Within hours the emergency appeal fundraising mechanisms at charities such as the Red Cross, Christian Aid and Oxfam had swung into action, raising tens of thousands of pounds in a matter of days.

Charity workers in the field were there within hours to assess humanitarian needs. Quicker than governments in delivering funds, aid agencies are vital to search and rescue efforts and immediate support at times of crisis.

The second event demonstrated the unerring generosity of the British public. Around 38,000 people ran the London Marathon last month, with the vast majority running to raise money for a charity. On average, runners raised nearly £2,000 each for almost every cause you can think of, from arthritis to teenage cancer, from the smallest charity to the international behemoths. The total raised last year was a record amount of £53.2m. This year, it’s expected to exceed that. At time of writing, a day after the event, Cancer Research UK had already received £2.4m in funds raised, while Macmillan was at £500,000. Funds raised on JustGiving the day after the marathon were already at £20m.

People ran for causes that had touched their lives or simply for what they believed in. It’s inspiring to see the power of individual will and the generosity of their networks. It’s also reassuring to know that money and the goodwill is out there.

Stephen Cotterill is the editor of Fundraising magazine