Breaking down silos is not just about the other parts of charities letting fundraisers in. Fundraisers need to get involved in the entire working of their charities, says Amanda McLean.
Whether it is mindreading, X-ray vision or mighty strength, are superhuman powers really required to take fundraising up a gear at your organisation in 2011? This year’s Directors of Fundraising Survey might have included an option for senior fundraisers to select a favoured superpower, but surely this flight of fancy isn’t required in our driven, business-focused profession. When we represent such a critical function for the future of civil society, the case of support for fundraising has already been made. We deserve to see in this year with confidence and renewed vigour. So put your X-ray spectacles away for the moment and read on.
The fact remains that there are still mountains to move in the way fundraising is perceived and carried out by charities. Organisational culture is tricky to define and hard to shift. Received wisdom suggests that fundraising is often held apart from other functions at a charity, such as communications, service delivery and so on.
While I won’t elaborate on the silo mentality that sometimes exists at charities, it’s a frustration when work projects are compartmentalised and fundraising isn’t properly integrated into decision-making at the top.
Equally, fundraisers need to take responsibility for making sure they understand the wider picture, challenges and priorities within their organisation. What I think the sector needs to see, and crucially, what is happening in some organisations, is fundraising permeating entire organisations, rather than being the preserve of a specific team. This is very much the way it should be.
It is certainly true that every member of staff in your organisation has the potential to bring in funds, either directly or indirectly. After all, they have the passion for your cause and inside track on exactly how it works. Every single person is an ambassador for your charity.
The Institute continues to champion its campaign to see more fundraisers become trustees at charities. As well as offering valuable opportunities for professional development, this gives the additional benefit of providing fundraising expertise at the very heart of a charity’s decision-making and influencing. When there are so many trustee vacancies, particularly in smaller charities, is there any excuse to not get involved?
The Directors of Fundraising Survey shows a new aspirational brand of fundraising director, who can see his or her way right to the top of the tree: a chief executive position. As a fundraiser myself, I know from experience how the valuable skills and insights of a fundraiser can make a positive contribution to the role of chief executive.
To be truly successful, fundraisers must be able to clearly demonstrate to their charities the value they add and the commitment that they bring. This involves innovation, determination and professionalism. Fundraisers need to invest in themselves by regularly updating and refreshing their skills through continued professional development. As well as formal CPD, there are a range of options fundraisers ought to consider. These include mentoring, work-shadowing or volunteering to help lead an organisation as a trustee with fundraising expertise. That way, fundraising at charities remains current and forward-looking.
It’s a resounding vote of confidence for our sector that according to the survey, not one fundraising director believes that voluntary income at their charity will drop in 2011. Even with increased competition for the donor’s pound, public spending cuts and reduced internal budgets, fundraising can still prevail and succeed.
Amanda McLean is chief executive of the Institute of Fundraising
