# The need to create a very virtuous circle

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/10/01/need-create-very-virtuous-circle/
- Published: 2009-10-01T13:57:17+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

The very real and far too common experience of hate crime amongst disabled people
dominated the news agenda at the beginning of this week. And it presented a golden
opportunity for organisations that support disabled people and their families to
raise awareness of their work.

 

So well done to [Mencap](http://www.mencap.org.uk) and [Contact a Family](http://www.cafamily.org.uk)
who took advantage of some of the priceless free media opportunities that presented
themselves.

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Too many organisations still fail to create virtuous circles between campaigning
and fundraising with communications often being the weak link, especially if responsibility
for comms work sits within one of and not across these departments. Awareness of
the work organisations do and the difference they make through campaigning and services
is the prerequisite to encouraging people to give to a particular cause. Similarly
charities can and should do more to stress in their campaigning communications that
they can only make a difference and address the need if people support them financially.

 

The best – the ones with the highest awareness levels, the most high profile campaigns
and the most money raised – appear to do it seamlessly. But it takes a lot of work.
It also means dropping everything else to take up free media opportunities. Because
they generate something for very little, even if the benefit is fleeting. For causes
like disability that often struggle to reach the public conscience and purse they
are quite literally priceless.

 

If your organisation doesn’t have a virtuous circle of campaigning, awareness raising,
communications and fundraising it’s time to create one. And while you are at it 
review your media strategy – just how prepared are you to take advantage of a free
media opportunity at a moment’s notice? Do you have trained, available spokespeople,
position statements, core messages etc?

 

And if all this sounds a bit mercenary given the horrific circumstances that caused
a desperate parent to take her own life and that of her disabled daughter because
she could not get help no matter where she turned and she could not see any other
way out – good. Because only by charities using all the tools at their disposal 
to raise awareness, campaign for change and raise the funds to do so, can we ensure
that fewer people have to put up with what Fiona Pilkington and Francecca Hardwick
had to endure.

 

 * **[Bright One donates 1,500 hours of comms expertise in first year](https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/12/02/bright-one-donates-1500-hours-comms-expertise-first-year/)**(
   2 December 2009)
 * **[Does research help or hinder?](https://fundraising.co.uk/2010/08/18/does-research-help-or-hinder/)**(
   18 August 2010)
 * **[Acceptable charity and third sector schmoozing](https://fundraising.co.uk/2010/10/29/acceptable-charity-and-third-sector-schmoozing/)**(
   29 October 2010)