Reasons to get on board. Philanthropy Company | Fundraising Consultants and Donor Advisory

Reasons to get on board.

We live and breathe the non-profit sector at Philanthropy Company. Professionally speaking, we cover its length and breadth from […]

Arts Beyond Covid – Positively Creative

By Liz Purchase, Senior Consultant Arts and Heritage – Philanthropy Company Watch the Arts Beyond Covid Webinar 02/02/21 Our Fearless […]

Philanthropy Company launches a fundraising hub for church customers with specialist insurer Ecclesiastical + livestream of expert webinar for Churches on 1st July.

Top Tips, Emergency Funders and Essential Checklists Specifically Designed for Churches -Philanthropy Company launches a fundraising hub for church […]

4 Top Insider Tips to Grow your Unrestricted Income

Tamsin Haigh, Head of Insight at Philanthropy Company, shares top tips on how you can grow unrestricted income at […]

Future trends in major philanthropy

Francesca Hewitt, Philanthropy Company Director, shares insight into what the future holds for major philanthropy At the Institute of Fundraising’s […]

Using digital to bring your supporters closer

Francesca Hewitt shares her thoughts and tips on harnessing the power of digital from this year’s Cultural Sector Network […]

Endowment funds – why to start one, and how

Francesca Hewitt shares her top tips on how to decide if endowment fundraising is right for you, and what to […]

What difference does £10 make anyway?

Here’s a clue. It’s not about the £10.

£10 is a vote of support. It says, ‘I believe in you’. It says, ‘Keep it up’. It says, ‘You’re doing great’.

How to unleash the power of data for fundraising success

Tamsin Haigh, Head of Insight at Philanthropy Company, shares advice on how to harness the potential of your donations […]

Making ‘The Ask’ of Young Donors

Terry has 7 years’ experience in US educational fundraising where he focused on reunion, capital, and planned giving strategy for […]

Don’t Shout the Loudest, Give Them An Experience They Want to Shout About

Optimistic commentators will often hail the Ice Bucket Challenge of 2014 as an example of what is possible with digital […]

Bringing in the Younger Generation: 9 Practical Tips for Millennial Fundraising

Waking up and checking social media is something that is ingrained in me. For better or worse, I receive most […]

Charities and Data Protection: Five Key Questions Answered at the ICO Conference

A few hours ago the Fundraising and Regulatory Compliance Conference came to a close. The conference was organised by the […]

The Trump Effect – how to convert impulse donations into regular donors

As we experience a time of intense political change across the world, in an era of increased media coverage and […]

Caroline Underwood on the Importance of Leadership

Time and time again we see the critical role that leaders and trustees have on their charity’s major gift fundraising success.

How anyone can make a difference

While we often discuss which qualities are essential in a professional fundraiser, it’s important to keep in mind that anyone […]

Trustees and Fundraising – A Practical Guide

The IoF recently released a practical guide for trustees on their role in ensuring fundraising is being carried out responsibly […]

Saying “Thanks”

I love celebrating. Anything really! Birthdays, first days at school, last days at school, random Wednesdays… anything from mini to […]

Volunteering Success Stories

Volunteers Week (1st June – 12th June) has sparked a lot of discussion at Philanthropy Company about the benefits of […]

How to Get Started in Philanthropy

After a successful first run last year, our Foundations in Philanthropy programme will be touring the country this autumn, with seminars […]

Seven Leadership Skills from “Dangerous Women”

I had the great privilege to attend a panel discussion hosted by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Westminster Business […]

Giving is Growing! Our thoughts on The Sunday Times Giving List 2016

Published by the Sunday Times annually, the Giving List is the leading measure of philanthropic giving among those featured in […]

Top Ten Ways in which charities need to adapt for the future

I’m writing this blog on the way to New Zealand, where I will speak at the FINZ Conference (Fundraising Institute of new Zealand).

My first session is in the CEO’s forum. Here are the two questions that I was asked to cover:

Kiwi Crystal Ball

I am just preparing to travel to New Zealand to present at the FINZ Conference (Fundraising Institute of New Zealand).

My first session will be for CEOs. Please may we ask for your thoughts, especially if you are CEO yourself, on the two questions that we will be discussing:

Return beyond measure

“If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” This has been attributed to Peter Drucker and famously adopted by McKinseys.

Philanthropy thrives on vision; on bringing the defiantly impossible problem under control; or turning the most fanciful notion of perfection into a reality. But how can we measure our progress towards such ideals? What is the purpose of being able to report on the impact that you are having?

What happens when it’s a NO?

In our course the other day – The Foundations in Philanthropy – we talked about how to cope with rejection. There is enough of this when you are raising big gifts. I wanted to share a further thought about this: there is a process and it feels like the grief cycle.

Philanthropy in a great city – Bath

Bath is a city founded on wealth and prosperity. The word ‘Philanthropy’ derives its meaning from the Greek meaning ‘for the love of humanity’. Bath and its gorgeous surrounds were created for the enjoyment of its people; founded on culture, learning, graceful architecture, and the world famous Spa.

29% of charitable giving comes from London and over 60% of the UK’s wealth. So what are the implications for philanthropy in a regional city like Bath?

Making the Ask – Closing the gift

Let the donor know that you have listened and absorbed their response, whilst keeping it conversational

Making the Ask – Silence and listening

Perhaps the hardest part comes with keeping silent. You’ve made the ask. Now it’s the donor’s turn to respond.

Making the Ask – The Invitation

This is sometimes called ‘the invitation’. It’s useful to commit this part, once you gave settled on the appropriate words, to memory. The ask script is as important as your vision and mission statements.

The Ask Script

When you are making the ask, expect to cover each part of a structured discussion in 20-25 minutes.

Making the ask and when to do it?

The ask should be made after a process of engagement. Significant gifts can take between 24-36 months of careful cultivation. On occasion, especially if there is an element of self solicitation, then you can ask more quickly. But as a general rule, there should be at least three opportunities to engage with the work, leadership and impact of the organisation.

Making the Ask – Who should do it?

It is important that the ask is made by someone who is a respected peer. For example, if the prospect is a CEO, then it would help if they were asked by another CEO or the Chairman. This is where it is particular important to cultivate a wide network of influential friends and to build a development board of people who can gain access to their peer group.

Making a hash of making the ask

The fundraiser, Dr Henry Drucker, cited three reasons why people do not give:

They are never asked
They are not asked well
They are not thanked

Making the Ask – and enjoying it

Making the ask (also called making the offer or invitation) strikes fear into the hearts of many. But it can be one of the most fulfilling parts of the process. It is rewarding and pleasurable and can lead to a closer relationship with supporters.

Funding networks: it’s not just about the numbers

Funding networks are on the rise with organisations like The Funding Network (TFN) and BeyondMe encouraging people to join together and support charitable causes. The networks can take many forms – from the funding pitches organised by TFN to the 6-person work-based teams organised by BeyondMe.

Ten Factors in Successful Fundraising

The Philanthropy Company has based the ‘ten success factors’ on our collective experience working as fundraisers and with clients. These are at the heart of our Foundations in Philanthropy package (which starts on December 2nd, 2015, at Somerset House)

Trends in Philanthropy

There has been a phenomenal increase in levels of wealth of wealth over the last three decades.

Today there are 12 million people worldwide who are classified as ‘high net worth individuals’. Their collective wealth is estimated at $55.8 trillion.

Take care with regulation

It seems that people on all sides are agreed that there should be more regulation of fundraising. There may be a need to improves standards, but so many fundraisers already operate at a level that is sophisticated, respectful and subtle. They are successful because of the level of trust that is shown by them and that is invested in them. Fundraising is a persuasive act of courtship that is about engagement and understanding.

Capital M for Mentor

Mentor was a person. When Odysseus left for the Trojan War, he left his only son, Telemachus, in the care of his friend, Mentor.

News & Insight