• Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
GroupIFC
  • How we can help
  • About us
  • Projects
  • News and views
  • Contact
  • Menu Menu
Blog - Latest News

What I Am Thinking About When I Am Thinking About Fundraising

April 13, 2018/in Fundraising/by Group IFC

Fundraising is not just selling something, it is changing the world for the better and a critical activity in scaling up civil society to deal with the problems that business and government cannot, or will not, solve or in many cases actually cause, whether by intent or negligence.

One of IFC’s clients is the White Helmets, who operate voluntarily in Syria. Stunningly brave and dedicated people who go where governments fear to tread and business has all but vanished. Another is London Art College, strapped for funds by an austerity-obsessed government but needing to raise capital for a new building; and a third is Sense, an international organisation based in the UK, supporting deafblind people and seeking to open up a new market for fundraising to support their work in Peru. I am proud of IFC’s achievements and there are many more case studies at www.groupifc.com.

These are the things I think about when I write or talk about fundraising, and why I am proud to be a fundraiser. Us fundraisers are not merely doing a difficult job, which could be interchangeable with any other that paid the same – we are improving lives, even saving them, and rescuing people from lives of misery and despair. I know that may not sound right in an English context where claiming any kind of virtue or merit is frowned upon, but if it is never said, if that territory is never claimed, then that lets the door open to such appalling statements as the person who said “Charity? Bugger off! Don’t come knocking on my door — you’re not invited. It drives me crazy…” and who compared fundraisers to “rogues and cowboys” and by the way, it wasn’t Donald Trump it was Lord Grade, Chair of the Fundraising Regulator.

Yes, of course we are not perfect, and we make mistakes like everyone else, but we deserve respect and an understanding of motives that are often noble, altruistic and at least benign. All too often when people don’t want to give they shoot the messenger that comes telling them that people need help, this is how you could help them and what that help will do for them. Instead of politely turning us down they attack us and the techniques we use, whatever they may be. Yes, some of us could shape up and I have even written a book about this called ‘Fundraising and Zombies’ which is a guide to help you survive working in charities.

As fundraisers in the UK, we are faced by the destitution unleashed on society by a Government that should be looking after its own people, especially the poorest and most vulnerable to provide a level playing field for all; but instead we have seen a progressive withdrawal of government services driving people towards the arms of civil society organisations such as the charities where we work. In particular I am appalled by the rise of food banks and homelessness in our very affluent country.

Businesses can bring huge numbers of people out of poverty as we have seen in India and China, but they are not motivated or equipped to solve the range of human and environmental problems that exist globally and appear to be getting worse if the news is to be believed.

Worldwide, however, if we look over the last say, 100 years the picture is remarkably different. Stephen Pinker, in his new book ‘Enlightenment Now’ shows quite clearly how, by almost any metric, earth’s population has made spectacular progress and is in a better state than it has ever been. There are less wars, less starvation, more democracy, people are better educated and both science and medicine have made many of our lives so much easier and more pleasant. Of course, there is much still to do: poverty, wars and global warming etc. still pose serious challenges, and not every problem has been eradicated.

This positive development has not happened by accident. It is the direct result of a number of factors. Yes, longevity has increased through multiple factors but where did the money for medical research come from, who funds the hospitals, what is the effect of development in unleashing a healthy productive workforce and what role did debt forgiveness play? Yes, literacy has increased and who helped bring girls into schools, who helped governments build the schools, who sent volunteer teachers. Yes, poverty has fallen massively and who village by village, town by town worked on the complex issues involved to allow businesses to thrive and a more affluent population take part in the consumer society?

Of course, I don’t claim that charities, pressure groups and other non-profit organisations did all of this on their own, but countless numbers of NGOs have worked for years on these, and many other, issues and that has had a profound effect. And lastly, who raised the money that built those magnificent organisations? Professional fundraisers that’s who – that’s us!

And all that is what I care about when I care about fundraising…

John Baguley, Founder, International Fundraising Consultancy

Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Pinterest
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Share on Vk
  • Share on Reddit
  • Share by Mail
https://groupifc.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/donate1.jpg 480 720 Group IFC https://groupifc.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/logo2.png Group IFC2018-04-13 15:05:292022-07-14 15:49:04What I Am Thinking About When I Am Thinking About Fundraising

Recent Posts

  • Network at IFC’s Top Table
  • Crypto-currency fundraising: what you need know
  • 3 Fundraising Predictions for 2023
  • Meet Team IFC: Sarah Gray, IFC UK
  • Network at IFC’s Top Table

Recent Comments

    Archives

    • January 2023
    • December 2022
    • November 2022
    • October 2022
    • September 2022
    • August 2022
    • July 2022
    • June 2022
    • May 2022
    • March 2022
    • February 2022
    • January 2022
    • December 2021
    • November 2021
    • October 2021
    • August 2021
    • June 2021
    • May 2021
    • April 2021
    • March 2020
    • February 2020
    • December 2019
    • November 2019
    • October 2019
    • July 2019
    • June 2019
    • May 2019
    • April 2019
    • March 2019
    • February 2019
    • January 2019
    • December 2018
    • November 2018
    • October 2018
    • September 2018
    • August 2018
    • July 2018
    • June 2018
    • May 2018
    • April 2018
    • March 2018
    • February 2018
    • January 2018
    • September 2017
    • July 2017
    • March 2017
    • December 2016
    • November 2016
    • August 2016
    • June 2016
    • May 2016
    • April 2016
    • March 2016
    • February 2016
    • November 2015
    • October 2015
    • September 2015
    • August 2015
    • July 2015
    • June 2015
    • May 2015
    • April 2015
    • March 2015
    • November 2014
    • September 2014
    • August 2014

    Categories

    • Awards
    • Bitcoins
    • Blockchains
    • Campaigns
    • Capital Appeal
    • Case for Support
    • Charity
    • Comment
    • Communication
    • Corporate Partnerships
    • Courses
    • Donors
    • Events
    • First Fridays
    • Funding
    • Fundraising
    • Fundraising Training
    • GDPR
    • Giving Tuesday
    • Global Giving
    • Government
    • grant funding
    • Group IFC
    • IFC Canada
    • IFC France
    • IFC India
    • IFC Italy
    • IFC LATAM
    • IFC Netherlands
    • IFC News
    • IFC Peru
    • IFC Switzerland
    • IFC Tanzania
    • IFC UK
    • IFC Ukraine
    • IFC US
    • International fundraising
    • John Baguley
    • Leadership
    • Legacy
    • Lottery Funding
    • Major donor
    • Overseas fundraising
    • Philanthropists
    • Philanthropy
    • Phnom Penh
    • Planned giving
    • Planning
    • Senior Management
    • Strategy
    • Team IFC
    • Team member
    • Top Table
    • Top Tips
    • Trustees
    • Trusts and Foundations
    • Uncategorized
    • Volunteers
    • World of Fundraising
    • Zombies

    International Fundraising Consultancy (IFC)

    7 Vesta Avenue, St Albans, AL1 2PQ
    +44 (0) 203 637 2464

    Email us

    © Copyright 2022 IFC. All Rights Reserved
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • Youtube
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Privacy Policy
    Inside Planned Giving – Part OneInside Planned Giving, Part Two
    Scroll to top