The benefits of a diverse fundraising team

Diversity isn’t a new concept. The UK introduced the Race Relations Act in 1968 and the Equalities Act in 2010.

But the charity sector has only started embracing it in the last decade.

This is largely due to the influence of social justice movements like #MeToo, Black Lives Matter, and Time’s Up.

Campaigns like these have exposed the inequalities that exist in society, demanded accountability, and fuelled a drive for change.

As a result, equality, inclusion, and diversity (DEI) have been put firmly under the spotlight.

What is diversity?

Diversity refers to the characteristics, experiences, and other distinctions that make one person different from another. It encompasses everything, from our cognitive skills and personality traits to the things that shape our identity, including race, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and cultural background.

Workplace diversity refers to the intentional practice of building a heterogeneous workforce by hiring and promoting people with different characteristics, from a wide range of backgrounds.

Diversity in the third sector

While the charity sector has stepped up efforts to address the diversity gap in recent years, there’s still work to be done. This is evident from a report by NCVO.

Here are a few key takeaways:

• The charity sector workforce is mostly (90%) white. At 10%, ethnic diversity is lower than in both the public sector (14%) and private sector (13%).

• Women and older people are well-represented. Women make up two-thirds of the workforce. And one in four staff is aged 55 and above.

• Just over 1 in 5 (23%) of workers identify as disabled.

Why is a diverse fundraising team important?

It’s the right thing to do. But over and above this, diversity has tangible benefits:

1.      Greater understanding of beneficiaries and donors

51% of the UK population is female, 16 million people have a disability or long-term health condition, 24% are aged 60 and over, and nearly 18% are from an ethnic minority.

What does this tell us? Your stakeholders are diverse.

To fully understand the challenges beneficiaries face, and establish meaningful relationships with donors, fundraisers need to reflect that diversity.

2.      Increased creativity and innovation

Put a homogeneous group of people together to work on a fundraising campaign, and they’ll generate similar ideas.

As Kenroi Consulting explains, ‘a homogeneous group, by its very nature, is tied together by the similarity of its characteristics’, which limits the scope for creativity and innovative thinking.’

On the flip side, a team composed of people with different upbringings, values, and life experiences will bring fresh perspectives to the table.

As per this Media Frenzy Global article, ‘a unique blend of working styles and ideas allow for more successful brainstorms and insightful feedback. Team members can play off each other’s strengths, and each brings a unique set of skills to the table.’

3.      Better retention rates

Embracing a diverse workforce is about building a welcoming, accepting environment and providing equal opportunities for all.

Staff who feel accepted and valued are more likely to stay with their employer. In fact, a Gartner study found that employees at organisations with high levels of diversity are 20% more likely to stick around.

Increasing diversity

Those are just a few of the many reasons to get on board with diversity.

But how can you make your fundraising team more diverse?

Review your hiring practices

A diverse fundraising workforce requires an inclusive recruitment process.

Here are a few tips:

·        Make sure your job ads are inclusive

·        Add a diversity statement to recruitment materials highlighting your commitment to an inclusive work environment.

·        Remove unnecessary obstacles in the recruitment process to improve accessibility.

·        Review CVs blind to reduce unconscious bias.

·        Seek out qualified candidates from underrepresented backgrounds by advertising on platforms like Evenbreak.

·        Offer reasonable adjustments at interviews.

·        Make flexible working the default. It’ll open up opportunities to working parents, disabled people, carers, and international candidates.

Prioritise diversity training

Attracting diverse talent is only half the battle. The other half is retaining it. One of the unique challenges of building a diverse team is the potential for conflict.

As this article by Parris Consulting explains, ‘wherever diversity exists, be it a mix of cultures, generations, work styles or personalities, conflict has the potential to arise’.

Whether it’s due to cultural misunderstandings, unconscious bias, stereotyping, or communication barriers, conflict is not conducive to a happy, healthy workforce.

This is where diversity training comes in. An important part of the diversity puzzle, training is a sure-fire way to ensure employees:

• are aware of diversity issues in the workplace.

• appreciate the differences among co-workers.

• understand how unconscious bias can impact their interactions with colleagues and clients.

• are equipped with the skills to interact, collaborate, and work together effectively.

However, diversity training isn’t only essential for employees. Diversity starts at the top.

As Gusto says in a blog post, ‘fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) requires the active commitment and support of senior leadership’.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion training will ensure your head honchos are:

• equipped with the tools and skills to manage diverse teams.

• able to prevent and resolve diversity-related conflicts.

• implementing best practices when it comes to hiring, managing performance, and providing equal learning opportunities.

• nurturing an environment where diverse talent can thrive and grow.

We can help you build a diverse fundraising team. Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to get the conversation started.

Grab your ticket for ‘I Wish I’d Thought of That’

Struggling to come up with fundraising campaign ideas for 2024? SOFII, the charity created by fundraisers for fundraisers, has got you covered.

Their annual fundraising conference, I Wish I’d Thought of That (IWITOT) is taking place on Thursday 9 November.

But this isn’t your bog-standard conference.

The fun, fast-paced event is a showcase of fundraising innovation and inspiration, with a twist.

The format

A series of guest speakers will take to the floor to talk about fundraising campaigns or concepts that have inspired them (and they wish they’d thought of themselves).  

The campaigns can come from anywhere in the world, and from any fundraising discipline, but speakers have just seven minutes to present their ideas.

There’s just one rule: The speakers can’t share anything from their own organisations.

Why? Because IWITOT is all about championing other people’s great ideas.

To quote SOFFII, ‘all egos are left at the door’.

Wondering how it plays out? Check out Jen Ruthe’s presentation from the 2020 conference, which took place online, due to COVID restrictions.

In her video presentation, the third-sector copywriter explains why she wishes she’d come up with the concept of charity shops.

She kicks off with a brief history of charity shops and how they came about. She then celebrates the vital contribution they make to UK giving highlighting the amazing work done by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) shops.

It’s an inspiring watch.

The 2023 line-up

There’ll be more of the same this year.

The 2023 line-up comprises of fundraising veterans and newbies, including:

Jeff Boachie, Head of Digital at Guy’s and St Thomas‘ Foundation

Lynda Harwood-Compton, Director at Latch Fundraising

Damian Chapman, Director of Fundraising and Communications at Charity for Civil Servants

Muna Hussen, UK Country Lead (Growth) at Raisely

Rebecca Broad, Partnership Development Manager at Teenage Cancer Trust

Michelle Benson, Founder at Culture of Philanthropy

Nina Oakes, Interim Director of Innovation at UNICEF UK

The speakers are carefully chosen by SOFFII and mentored by veteran fundraisers.

Where, when, and how?

The hybrid conference is taking place at Holborn Studios (North London), and online, from 2pm to 5pm.

The live stream will be hosted via Fundraising Everywhere+ and there’ll be a chat function available to enable virtual attendees to connect with the hosts, speakers, and fellow attendees.

After the main event, there’ll be a short drinks reception for in-person attendees, from 5pm to 6pm.

Can’t make it in-person or online on the day? You don’t have to miss out on the fun. A recording will be available for a month after the event, so grab your ticket and SOFFII will send you a link.

Sound good? You can buy tickets here. But if you want to attend in-person, be quick, as places are limited.

In the meantime, if you’re looking for a fundraiser to implement your next campaign, we’ve got talent on tap. Call us on 0203 750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to get started.

How to unlock the hidden job market

Jobseekers, we’re going to let you into a secret: The job market is not what it seems.

Sure, plenty of fundraising jobs get posted on job boards and charity websites, but there’s a ‘hidden’ job market that’s rife with opportunities.

In this post, we’re going to explore what the hidden market is and tell you how you can tap into it.

What is the hidden job market?

As elusive as it sounds, the hidden job market isn’t an exclusive club you can only access if you have the right credentials. It’s a term used to describe vacancies that employers don't advertise publicly.

Believe it or not, According to My Job Search, 70% of jobs don’t make it online.

Instead, these roles are filled by internal candidates, via referrals, or recruitment agencies.   

Why ‘hide’ jobs?

‘Hiding’ jobs is counterintuitive, isn’t it? Surely charities want their jobs to be seen by as many people as possible?

Not necessarily.

Charities choose not to advertise their roles for various reasons. Some aren’t equipped to process the volume of applications generated by their ads; some don’t have the budget for glossy recruitment campaigns. And others may be looking to backfill positions of employees who are yet to leave.

Whatever the reason, there are loads of great fundraising jobs out there that you won’t find by trawling the job boards. If you don’t tap into the hidden market, you could miss out on your ideal role.

How can you crack the hidden job market?

Be proactive. Rather than sitting back and waiting for jobs to fall into your lap, get out there and find them.
Here are three ways to do it.

1. Send speculative applications

Got a hit list of charities you want to work for, but can’t see any job openings? Fire off some speculative applications.

A speculative application is essentially an unsolicited job application. It’s a way to introduce yourself to potential employees, sell your skills, and convince them they need you before a job comes up.

Considering many charities recruit on an ongoing basis, this is a savvy way to get a head start on the competition.

If you nail it, you might get snapped up. If not, you’ll be on their radar when a position matching your skillset crops up.

Want to give it a go? Find out how in this article.

2. Network 

According to writersblocklive, 85% of people get a job through some form of networking. If you want to be one of them it’s time to get schmoozing.

Here’s how.

LinkedIn

Reach out to your LinkedIn contacts. Let them know you’re on the market for a job. Explain what you’re looking for and ask them to introduce you to anyone who may be able to help.

Industry events

Charity sector conferences, seminars, and trade shows can be invaluable resources for finding new opportunities. You never know who you might run into or what connections they may have.

If you go down this route though, remember that networking is a two-way street. Before shooting off any emails, think about what you can offer others in return.

3. Partner with a recruitment agency

Some charities work exclusively with recruitment agencies, like Bamboo, to find high-quality candidates. If you partner with one, it’ll open the door to lots of opportunities.

Having a top-notch recruiter in your corner is like having your own personal advocate. Someone who’ll help you find the right role, vouch for you, help you prepare for interviews, and negotiate the salary.

The best bit? It won’t cost you a penny. What have you got to lose?

At Bamboo, we specialise in placing talented fundraisers in rewarding, world-changing roles. Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 to talk tactics.

Team Talks: Cara's charity work

Recruitment is a people business. So, we thought we’d introduce you to the people behind Bamboo in our new ‘Team Talks’ series.

In this post, Content Manager, Cara talks about her passion for charity work.

Where did your passion for charity work come from?

In 1980, my father was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis; a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system, (the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves). Some people have mild symptoms, such as blurred vision, numbness, fatigue, and tingling in the limbs. In severe cases, MS can lead to vision loss, mobility problems, and paralysis.

My dad had a severe case. In 1990, he was registered blind, and over the next 20 years, he lost the use of his legs and arms. By 2010, he was bed-ridden.

Despite his disabilities, pain, and chronic fatigue, he refused to give in to the illness. For years, he crawled around the house rather than rather than give in to a wheelchair. It could take him anywhere up to 40 minutes to crawl just a few metres.

His attitude inspired me to start volunteering as a fundraiser for my local MS branch.

Over the course of 20 years, I organised all sorts of events, from comedy and talent nights to blind beer tasting events and music festivals.

I loved doing it, so stepping down from the role in 2019 was bittersweet.

Why did you step down?

As I organised the events single-handedly, they were extremely time intensive. I had to stop as I was struggling to manage them alongside my job.

However, I found a new way to give back.

What was that?

My mother was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (a form of blood cancer) in 2019.  To learn more about the disease, I joined a Facebook group.

While scrolling through the posts, I came across one from a guy called Joseph. The post read; ‘my cancer hasn’t responded to chemo. It’s going to kill me. I’m only 26. I don’t want to die.’

The message had a profound effect on me. I could sense his desperation and felt an overwhelming desire to help, so I reached out to him.

Understandably, he was suspicious at first, but I was persistent, and, over time, we established a bond.

I encouraged him to lean on me for emotional support. As his condition worsened, he started contacting me daily, often in tears.

I was desperate to give him some hope, so I started researching. I reached out to specialists in his type of cancer to ask about drug trials/new therapies, and one of them mentioned CAR T-cell therapy - a cell-based gene therapy that involves altering the genes inside T-cells (a type of white blood cell) to prime them to attack cancerous cells.

It’s a last resort for patients who haven’t responded to any other form of treatment.

The doctor said it could be a difficult and lengthy process to get Joseph approved as the treatment had only just been licensed in the UK. However, he agreed to put Joseph forward for it, and six weeks later, he started the gruelling process.

Did the treatment work?

Initially, his tumours shrunk. But within five weeks, they’d doubled in size.  

At the time, the doctors didn’t know why. They now think it was due to a phenomenon known as ‘hyper progressive disease’ (an adverse outcome of immunotherapy consisting of an acceleration of tumour growth, accompanied by prompt clinical deterioration).  

As devastating as it was, I was adamant we’d find a solution.

With Joseph’s consent, I contacted the national press. I hoped one of the papers would agree to tell Joseph’s story and it would attract the attention of someone who could help.

The Daily Mail featured his story in January 2020, but tragically, Joseph died before we could follow up on any leads.

He had the presence of mind to write me a card before he died saying how grateful he was., and how he wouldn’t have survived as long as he did without my support. It was a beautiful gesture.

What did you get out of helping Joseph?

Acting as a ‘doula’ for Joseph was the most practical way I could help him.

I’ve always thought if I had cancer, I wouldn’t want people to make me food or bring me flowers. I’d want them to do the stuff I wouldn’t have energy for – researching the best doctors, hospitals, and treatments … I’d want them to advocate for me and fight my corner.

Doing this for Joseph was the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.

I’m now doing the same for a friend who’s fighting terminal bowel cancer.

The state of charitable giving by FTSE 100 firms

The UK’s largest listed companies donated the same amount to charity in 2022 as they did in 2016 despite almost trebling their pre-tax profits, according to new research by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF).

The organisation’s Corporate Giving by the FTSE 100 report* found that FTSE 100 firms gave £1.85bn to charities last year. This matches the amount donated in 2016 and is significantly less than the £2.51 billion they gave a decade ago.

Taking increases in inflation into account, this represents a decline of 17% in real terms.

If the FTSE 100 companies had continued to donate the same proportion of pre-tax profits as they did in 2016, the charity sector would have received an additional £3.74 billion of funding.

Having endured a pandemic, cost-of-living, and energy crises, as well as rising inflation, this is a significant amount of funding charities have missed out on.

The good news

Donations may be down, but it’s not all doom and gloom. There were some positive findings from the report. For instance:

• 42 of the 100 companies increased their donations, resulting in £542.4m in the charity pot. This represents an average increase of £12.9m per company.

• The number of FTSE 100 brands that continued to donate while making pre-tax losses climbed from six to 10 between 2016 and 2022.

• The figures suggest that a culture of corporate giving is embedded more widely across the FTSE 100 than ever before, with the top 10 corporate donors accounting for the smallest ever proportion of the overall sum given. In 2022, the ‘top ten’ accounted for 62.5% of the £1.85 billion gifted, compared to 68.3% in 2016.

Giving by sector

So, which sectors are leading the way in corporate giving?

Despite accounting for just five of the FTSE 100 companies, the healthcare sector provided £409.9m (22.2%) of total corporate giving - considerably more than any other sector.

The basic materials and consumer staples sectors, including mining firms Rio Tinto, Glencore, and high street brands such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Unilever, were also among the most generous, contributing an average of 1.76% of pre-tax profits.

At the other end of the scale, the Consumer Discretionary and Industrials sectors, which includes brands such as B&M European Value Retail, JD Sports, and Smiths Group, provided just 9.3% of all giving.

‘More should be done’

Neil Heslop OBE, Chief Executive of the Charities Aid Foundation said of the findings: “The role of FTSE 100 businesses in leading a purposeful corporate culture is vital. More can and should be done, especially now as household incomes are squeezed, and charity finances are strained due to the cost-of-living crisis.

A resilient civil society requires charities, the private sector and government to all play a role.”

According to the report, the call for more to be done is echoed by consumers, with more than two-thirds (69%) believing businesses have an obligation to support the local communities in which they operate.

*The CAF report looks at global support given to charities by FTSE 100 companies in the form of voluntary cash and in-kind donations, matched employee funding, employee volunteering and management costs incurred.

On the hunt for a corporate fundraiser? We can help. Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to find out how.