# New model for the community fundraising ‘comeback kid’

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/07/08/new-model-community-fundraising-comeback-kid/
- Published: 2014-07-08T06:20:14+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

A new model for community fundraising is being presented at the Institute of Fundraising
[National Convention](http://www.nationalconvention.org.uk) today.

![Lianne Howard-Dace](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Llianne-
Howard-Dace-247x250.png)

Lianne Howard-Dace

Delivering the session _Community Fundraising: Problem child or rising star?_ Lianne
Howard-Dace will outline a new model based on five ‘pillars’.

Each pillar embraces findings from a research dissertation by Lianne Howard-Dace–
who is community and events fundraising manager at Royal London Society for the 
Blind – which she has recently submitted for her Masters degree at London South 
Bank University.

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> ‘Community fundraising is a bit of comeback kid, an eclectic eccentric who, despite
> being written off by many, reinvents itself and continues to have kooky moments
> and moments of sheer genius’

“The model I’ve developed takes the key commonalities and themes which emerged from
the research and synthesises them in to actionable areas for improvement,” Howard-
Dace told UK Fundraising.

“Obviously everyone will be at different points in their development so I will be
suggesting people identify which of these will be short, medium and long term goals
for them to look at.”

## Five ‘pillar’ model

The five pillars – which characterize successful community fundraising initiatives
in the organsiations she studied – are:

* Strong staff

* Empowered volunteers

* Pro-active planning

* Collaborative working

* Insight-led decisions

Each pillar contains recommendations for planning community fundraising initiatives.
Under **‘strong staff’**, Howard-Dace recommends developing digital skills and delegating
decision making. Under **‘collaborative working’**, she recommends cross-selling
projects and “challenging internal perceptions” about community fundraising.

Howard-Dace also presents a template stewardship plan that can be adapted for any
community fundraising project, and checklists for volunteer resources.

The title of Howard-Dace’s research and IoF presentation refers to the [Boston Matrix](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growth–share_matrix)
management tool.  She concludes that community fundraising has undergone a resurgence
during the recession making it a ‘rising star’ once again and in some cases even
a ‘cash cow’.

Howard-Dace says: “Community fundraising is a bit of comeback kid, an eclectic eccentric
who, despite being written off by many, reinvents itself and continues to have kooky
moments and moments of sheer genius”.

The [five-pillar community fundraising model can be downloaded here](http://liannehd.com).

 

_Image: f[ive pillars](http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-74589919/stock-vector-five-types-of-old-column-architecture-old-engraving-vector-engraved-illustration-showing-a-tuscan.html)
by Morphart Creation on Shutterstock.com_

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