Why work in fundraising?

When you ask most children what they want to be when they grow up, they'll say ‘fireman’, ‘teacher’ or ‘baker’. Rarely do you hear children say, ‘I want to be a fundraiser’.

And it’s no surprise. Professional fundraising is not a career route we’re exposed to at a young age. Yet it’s a smart career choice, in a diverse and growing field.

Here are four great reasons to pursue a career in fundraising.

1. You'll make a difference

We spend around 90,000 hours at work over the course of our lifetime – generally making money for someone else.

For some of us, this is fine. Others want more.

In one way or another, every charity aims to drive change and make the world a better place.

There's no better feeling than logging off every day knowing you’ve made a difference.

2. You'll work with like-minded people

For the most part, people working in the charity sector have two things in common – they’re compassionate and want to change the world for the better.

If you share those qualities, you’ll thrive in a charity environment.

Also, you know that tense competition you experience with colleagues in the corporate world? You’re less likely to find that at a charity, as everyone is working towards the same altruistic goal.

 3. You'll enjoy a diverse range of experiences

If you don’t like being stuck at a desk from 9-5 doing the same thing every day, fundraising is a great alternative.

As a general rule, fundraisers wear lots of hats and spend more time out of the office than in it.

On any given day, you could be creating content for a website or newsletter, taking a high-value donor out for lunch, writing a grant proposal, attending an event, or visiting a project that’s supported by the funds you help raise.

Charities are always on the lookout for people with passion and drive. If you want to discuss opportunities in the sector, give us a call on 0203 750 3111. 

Seven ways to keep things fresh at work

Whether we admit it or not, we all fall in and out of love with our jobs all the time. And that’s okay. It’s part and parcel of working life.

Going through a bad patch? Here are seven things you can do to rekindle the love.

1. Consider the root cause

If you’re feeling dissatisfied but can’t quite put your finger on why, it’s time to take stock.

Consider the following: How long have you felt like this? Is there a single cause or are several factors at play? Is it really work, or is an issue at home at the heart of it?

2. Learn something new

Been doing the same role day in, day out for the last five years? The likelihood is you’re bored. So why not challenge yourself to learn something new?

You could offer to help out in another department, ask to take on more responsibilities, or take a course to advance your skills.

But whatever you do, make sure it interests you. It’ll help you look at your role in a new light.

3. Look at the bigger picture

It’s easy to get stuck ‘in your head’ at work. When this happens, try to take a step back and focus on the bigger picture. Remember, every penny you raise makes a difference, whether it’s to sick children, homeless adults, animals in need, or the environment.

If you broaden your perspective and appreciate the contribution you’re making, it might just rekindle your passion.

4. Make the effort to foster strong relationships at work

A 2018 Gallup poll found that 'when employees possess a deep sense of affiliation with their team members, they are driven to take positive actions that benefit the business'.

So make the effort to get to know your colleagues. Invite them for lunch, grab a drink after work, or stop by their desk for a quick chat.

You’ll feel better for it. And it might make you feel happier in your role.

5. Speak up

If the job you once loved dearly has lost its spark, don’t suffer in silence. Schedule an informal meeting with your manager to discuss how you’re feeling. After all, it’s their job to make sure you’re happy and engaged.

However, the conversation won’t go your way if you spend an hour moaning.

Outline the issues with a positive mindset, and bring solutions to the table. And ask them how they think things are going. It will remind you what your work (however brain-numbing it may be) contributes to the bigger picture and the charity’s goals.

6. Take some time off

Burnout is a real thing, and it’ll infiltrate every aspect of your life unless you take a break.

If you don’t have enough holiday left, take a day at the weekend to do something you love. Completely disconnect and give yourself time to think about something other than work.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder after all.

Still not happy?

If you’ve tried all the above and you’re still unhappy, it might be time to move on.

This is where we come in.

Our site is packed with exciting opportunities. If you spot one that gets your heart racing, give us a call to discuss it on 0203 750 3111.

Six qualities of a great fundraiser

It’s said that the difference between good and great comes from pursuing the things we’re passionate about. But if passion alone was enough, the world would be a very different place. As it stands, plenty of passionate people don’t achieve everything they want to achieve.

We’re not saying passion is a defunct quality. On the contrary, it’s essential for any fundraiser, but there are plenty of other qualities that distinguish a good fundraiser from a great one.

Let’s take a look at them.

1. Selflessness

If you want to be a fundraiser, you need to leave your ego at the door.

Fundraising isn’t about you – it’s about the people you’re trying to help and the wider cause. If you’re focused on doing things your way and getting praised for your achievements, you’re going to end up getting people’s backs up and potentially harming the charity.

That’s not to say there’s no place for career progression or personal ambition. You just need to be mindful that the mindset of a fundraiser in the charity sector is different to that in the corporate sector. i.e. charity fundraisers focus on organisational rather than personal success.

2. Social skills and emotional intelligence

As a fundraiser, you’ll spend a lot of time dealing with people, be it donors, beneficiaries, trustees, colleagues or suppliers. So social skills and emotional intelligence are a must.

You need to be able to:

• Put people at ease

• Be approachable

• Have a good memory for names and faces

• Listen and communicate well

• Connect with people from all walks of life

• Be self-aware

3. Adaptability

It would be nice if we lived in a world where everything went to plan all the time, but we don’t. Especially in the world of fundraising, stuff goes wrong – event funding falls through; grant requests get rejected; major donors withdraw their support.

Great fundraisers take problems in their stride and find ways to adapt, rather than getting stressed and letting things derail.

But adapting to unexpected changes isn’t the only form of adaptability that matters.

‘That’s how we’ve always done things’ is the enemy of progress. Being able to keep up with a changing world is a crucial skill for fundraisers. New information and new resources become available every day. If you can’t keep up, you’ll get left behind.

4. Great storyteller

Reeling off stats and figures can only do so much to convince people to part with their hard-earned cash. The best way to engage people with your cause is through storytelling.

Why? Human beings are wired to connect with stories. They evoke strong neurological responses in us. Our brains release the stress hormone, cortisol during tense moments, and oxytocin, the feel-good chemical that promotes connection and empathy, during happy moments.

Great fundraisers are able to relay emotive stories that demonstrate how their charities make a difference to the people they help.

Here’s a good example from Southern Pines Animal Shelter, Massachusetts:

This story packs an emotional punch by painting a vivid picture of the problem and how the charity (and the donor) can make a difference.

To be a great fundraiser, you need to find your organisation’s story, and it needs to be understandable, engaging, relatable, and impactful.

It’s also worth noting that, as fundraising is becoming increasingly digital, today’s fundraising professionals need to be comfortable telling stories across multiple mediums—from video calls to emails and live-streamed events.

5. Data-literate

This might seem counterintuitive considering I just talked about how stats and figures can only do so much, but it would be a mistake to write them off completely.

According to the Institute for Business Value, charities with more advanced analytics capabilities report higher effectiveness than those with basic ones.

In other words, data talks. A great fundraiser will notice patterns, and gain new insights from data, to drive future fundraising efforts.

6. Perseverance

It’d be great if we could see the results of our hard work right away, right? But just like you can’t lose ten pounds overnight, success in the fundraising world is rarely immediate. There are a lot of rejections and setbacks.

It can be easy to get discouraged.

Great fundraisers know how to avoid getting discouraged. They set manageable goals, try new approaches, and understand the need to be patient.

The truth is, a fundraiser with experience of failure may be better for your organisation than one that’s only ever succeeded. The fact they’re still trying shows they have that much-needed quality of perseverance.

Looking to recruit great fundraisers? Call us to discuss your needs on 0203 750 3111. 

Five ways volunteering can help you get a job in fundraising

There are loads of benefits to volunteering. Aside from the warm and fuzzy feeling you get from giving back, it gives you a sense of accomplishment, helps you gain perspective, and is a great way to develop new skills.

It can also help you get a job. Research by Deloitte found that 82% of employers are likely to choose a candidate with volunteering experience over one that doesn’t, and 85% of those are willing to overlook other CV flaws when a candidate includes volunteer work on their CV.

This is particularly pertinent if you’re considering moving from the corporate to the charity sector. A year of voluntary work will put you in a much stronger position to compete with experienced charity fundraisers – particularly if you have strong, transferable skills.

But that’s not all. Here are four other ways volunteering can help you bag your dream charity job.

1. It’ll add depth to your CV

When was the last time you heard someone complain about a person being too helpful and community-minded? That’s right, never.

People who choose to volunteer tend to share some common traits: they’re empathetic, passionate about helping others, and motivated by things other than money.

These are attractive qualities to any employer, and they’re key traits for a job in fundraising.

Adding volunteering experience to your CV will show potential employers you have these essential qualities in spades, and

2. It enables you to ‘dip your toe’ in a new career

Volunteering offers a unique opportunity to gain experience in a new field/role, at no risk to you or the charity.

Maybe you know you want to be a fundraiser, but you’re passionate about several causes and don’t know which to focus on. Volunteering enables you to explore each without making a long-term commitment. For example, if you’re passionate about helping to find a cure for cancer, why not dedicate some time to your local Macmillan group? If you’re obsessed with animals, Battersea Cats and Dogs Home are always on the lookout for help. Passionate about climate change? Contact Friends of the Earth. You get the idea.

You’ll soon find out which cause you’re most drawn to.

Volunteering can also help you figure out what you want from your working environment. For example, perhaps you like the idea of working for a large international organisation, but once there, you realise you’d be more comfortable at a small, family-run organisation. If you’d jumped into a paid role at a huge charity, you’d be stuck.

Having a clear idea of the sort of job and environment you want will enable you to be more discerning in your job search.

It’ll also help you back up interview answers with industry-specific examples.

3. It’ll hone your skills

As well as equipping you with the skills that many companies look for, volunteering can help you hone a range of important workplace attributes, such as communication, teamwork, and using your initiative.

Let’s face it: no-one’s perfect. We all need to brush up on some skills.

4. It can fill gaps on your CV

There are many reasons why you might have a gap on your CV. Maybe you were made redundant, fired, or you quit a job as it wasn't a good fit.

Regardless of the reason, CV gaps are a red flag to employers. They may see you as an unreliable hire who doesn't stick at roles. So, anything you can do to minimise their impact is crucial.

Volunteering is a fantastic thing to do and put on your CV while you’re between jobs.

5. It offers great networking opportunities

Volunteering is a great way to expand your network.

As a volunteer, you may well be invited to events and meetings, and/or have the opportunity to talk to employees about their roles and experience. Make a good impression and you may also get the ‘inside scoop’ on upcoming recruitment.

Keep a list of the contacts you make, from staff and board members to fellow volunteers, and suppliers. You never know who might help you in the future.

Where to start

Donating your time to a charity is just as meaningful and important as making a cash donation. But, with approximately 169,000 registered charities in the UK, how do you decide which to volunteer for?

Think about your goals. How much time can you give, and what do you want to achieve from it? Boost your network? Develop transferable skills? Or explore different working environments?

The opportunities that match your goals and interests will give you the most beneficial and rewarding experience.

Looking for work?

If you’ve done some volunteering and want to pursue a career in fundraising, call us on 0203 750 3111 for a chat. 

The Future of Event Fundraising: Hybrid Events

COVID-19 has changed the face of event fundraising forever. Sure, we’re slowly moving back to in-person events, but virtual events won’t be going anywhere, soon.

In fact, there’s a growing trend for ‘hybrid events’ that combine the best of both worlds.

Let’s put hybrid events under the microscope.

What are hybrid events?

Hybrid events are, quite simply, a mix of live and virtual events.

You take your live event, complete with an audience, content, and more, and add a virtual component to it so your audience can participate online.

What do hybrid events look like?

There’s no set formula for a hybrid event. You can have as much or as little virtual interaction as you want. But the best hybrid events treat their live and online audiences equally, so everyone gets the most from the event.

For example, during the pandemic, Vietnam-based charity, Saigonchildren could have cancelled their annual charity ball and taken a big fundraising hit.

Instead, they pivoted to a hybrid virtual and in-person event.

To minimise the number of people at the venue, guests had the option to enjoy the event from the comfort of their homes.

Guests who chose this option were sent pre-packaged food and drink, and televisions were set up so they could watch a live-streamed broadcast of the event.

The benefits of hybrid fundraising

Not convinced by hybrid fundraising events? You should be. The benefits are endless. Here are three for starters:

1. They enable people to participate who might be unable to attend in person, due to travel or time zone constraints, lack of COVID jabs etc.

2. They open up new revenue streams (online donations, auctions, raffles) and engagement opportunities. As virtual audiences actively participate from mobiles or laptops, they can still talk, share, like, and get involved.

3. You can host a high-quality hybrid event with accessible technology that doesn't require years of experience to master. Platforms like Enthuse can do it all for you.

Three tips for running a smooth hybrid fundraising event

Now you know the what and why, here are a few tips to help ensure your hybrid event runs smoothly:

1. Merge the in-person and virtual experience

If you want your hybrid event to be a success, make sure your virtual attendees aren’t missing out on key engagement opportunities. Here are a few tips:

• Before the event starts, build a sense of community through an event-specific Facebook group. This is a great place to post event details and encourage attendees to engage with each other.

• During the event, use features that in-person and virtual attendees can interact with, such as live polling and Q&As.

• Implement a live Twitter feed that displays donations from physical and virtual attendees. This can be shown on a screen at the event and on the cast that people are enjoying from home.

2. Provide a quick and easy way to give

Your hybrid fundraising event is not just about your guests having a good time. It’s a key opportunity to raise funds. So make sure your in-person and virtual guests know how to give. Invite physical and virtual guests to donate by text. And make sure the text-to-donate number is clearly displayed on screens and event signage.

3. Be mindful of your timing

According to 2Connect, ‘the attention span of a typical audience lasts about 7 minutes’.

If you’re hosting a conference and your sessions are engaging, you may hold their attention for longer, but to be safe, stick to ten minutes, with breaks in between.

Also, be mindful of time zones. If you’re catering to a global audience be sure to record and upload the event so people can watch it at a time that suits them.

Final Word

Pandemic or no pandemic, hybrid events open up events to more donors. And more potential donations. What charity doesn’t want that?