Fundraising Initiatives Group chooses Battersea Dogs & Cats Home as first charity partner
Howard Lake | 16 July 2013 | News
Fundraising company The Fundraising Initiatives Group has announced its first charity partnership. Over three years it will support Battersea Dogs & Cats Home by providing £75,000 in donations, plus pro bono fundraising services worth at least an additional £25,000.
Battersea is already a client of the group's subsidiary company Fundraising Initiatives Ltd (FIL), which has been running its face-to-face fundraising activities for the last three years. The group's ability to provide pro-bono fundraising support for Battersea's events programme was part of the reason behind it choice of the animal charity. With staff already fully trained in the cause, FIL expects to second staff for free to major events like Battersea's Annual Reunion and Collars & Coats Gala Ball.
Why a CSR programme for a fundraising company?
There was another reason behind the choice of charity and indeed in the decision to set up a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative. Cathy Sullivan, founder and CEO of the Fundraising Initiatives Group, said that she was inspired to support the charity by Claire Horton, Battersea's CEO.
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"At Battersea’s gala ball" she said, "I heard Claire address the guests with an honest and heartfelt plea and I was both impressed and moved by her passion and openness about the desperate need to update antiquated Victorian facilities for thousands of dogs seeking a second chance at Battersea. These days there are few CEOs in our sector that still actively fundraise and Claire convinced me."
She said: "We may not be a major blue chip but we are a professional fundraising company and in a position to help charities in more ways than hard cash, we can also create a legacy of new donors that could stay with our charity partners for many years to come.”
Year one support
FIL will donate £25,000 this year to be used to create an outdoor garden space for Battersea's dogs.
In addition, Fundraising Initiatives staff will get involved in in-house fundraising and in joint activities with the charity.
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.