The much overdue second part of a new A-Z of creative fundraising…

Derek Humphries | 14 July 2009 | Blogs

Letters of the alphabet made in concrete. In the Barbican’s gift shop. Photo: Howard Lake

It’s hard to be creative without a deadline. Although this is true, it’s also a fairly limp excuse for why this has taken me a while to post. Let me know if it was worth the wait…

I is for Imagine: but only ever as in imagine how great it would be if your communications were so evocative that you didn’t have to ask people to imagine. (NB Does not apply if your name was John Lennon.)

J is for Jargon: remember the days when words were simple? Remember the days when demonstrators chanted things like. ‘What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!’ I was at a demo the other week, and the chant went something like this: ‘What do we want? A fair, just and equitable delivery of social opportunity! When do we want it? In due course, following appropriate consultation with all key stakeholder groups!’ OK, I made that up. But you get my point.

Great Fundraising Organizations, by Alan Clayton. Buy now.

K is for KIVA: everyone (including me) has been droning on about how good it is for three years or more. Isn’t it time we just took a great thing and made it better? Having been lucky enough to spend some time working hands-on at an overseas project this year, I can see there’s a major challenge in simply getting small amounts of money to where it is needed very quickly without the machinery of big organizations getting in the way. So, yes, I think I’m getting excited about donor-driven internal accounting!

L is for Line: as in ‘above the line’ and ‘below the line’. It doesn’t exist. There is no line. End of.

M is for Money: which is what fundraising is absolutely not about. I think it was Guy Stringer who once said: ‘Fundraising is not about money. It’s about things that need doing. If you start by asking for money you won’t get it and you won’t deserve.’ I fear I’ve mangled his fine words, but hope I’ve kept their spirit.

N is for ?: When you’ve got Nothing to say, keep quiet.

O is for Outrage, and Offer: I fear we sometimes get outraged about the wrong things. Outraged about offensive language. Outraged about offensive images. I believe we have a duty to use strong language and powerful images to convey the obviously shocking need that we Offer people the chance to do something about. When it comes to Offers, too many fundraisers think their job is asking for money, when it is equally about offering opportunities.

P is for Passion: I’m fed up with consultants telling clients they need more passion. Don’t tell, demonstrate. As in, don’t tell me you’re funny, tell me a joke. This goes for all your values. Don’t talk about them, live them.

Q is for Quality: demand it. A client briefed me a while ago by saying: ‘Don’t bring anything back to me unless it’s brilliant.’ What a great brief (or part of a brief).

I suspect across the charity sector we are all a bit too accommodating, a bit too consensus-seeking, and simply don’t demand enough quality. Our causes and our donors deserve only the highest quality. Next time I send you something that isn’t quality (a blog, some copy, an idea), please tell me. Don’t shout. Just explain to me why it isn’t good enough. And do the same to anyone else who lets you down.

Perhaps it’s taking a Risk to end on that point (R, the next letter, was going to stand for Risk, but I decided it was a bit too obvious).

I’d love your feedback here, or via email ( de*************@dt******.uk ) or via Twitter (@derekhumphries).

And suggestions on R-Z are most welcome!