What I learned from my first National Fundraising Conference
Laura Croudace for Women in Tech | 16 July 2015 | Blogs
What an experience. Yes, I’m speaking about last week at the National Fundraising Convention.
Now, I need to set the record straight on a couple of things. As a relatively new fundraiser last week marked my first time at a National IoF Conference, so I don’t have a previous year to compare it to.
I have to say, however, that I have read a couple of articles expressing that this year was a sombre affair, and the mood was as if a dark cloud had floated above the hotel, sapping people’s energy.
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My experience of the IoF convention was that it was a wonderful three-day event which was full of positivity, creative energy, talented fundraisers sharing ideas, great volunteers who had the most infectious energy and the best networking opportunities I’ve ever come across. It was simply inspiring. The conference also taught me a few interesting things. Yes, I said a few – despite listening to over 15 speakers over the three days.
My dear friend Ken Burnett once told me that if you leave a conference or training course with two or three ideas firmly rooted in your head, then it was worth it. What I didn’t expect however was the way the Convention would leave me feeling.
Proud to be a fundraiser
Ian MacQuillin lead a very aptly named session given the recent media coverage “Are you really proud to be a fundraiser?”
I have to say that it was really thought provoking – especially when Ian handed out posters for fundraisers to display in their offices– I have mine on the wall of my home office.
A few hours later, I found myself taking part in the Plymouth University Charity Lab’s research exercise – a list of questions which you had to answer to determine how proud you are to be a fundraiser – some of the questions were really hard to answer – as ethics and donor wellbeing is always at the forefront of everything I do.
So, I want to argue against those that said the Convention was dull and a sombre affair. I feel empowered and proud, despite the predicted media coverage – I came to the conclusion that we will face things like this from time to time, we are a easy target as at the end of the day, as ‘all we do is sell a feeling’, and involve people in changing the world into a better place. If we were selling an actual product, I feel that people and the media would view us very differently.
Fundraisers – stand up for yourselves!
The other thing that I would like to set the record straight on is that fundraisers need to stand up for themselves. Yes, YOU!
I sometimes feel that various organisational heads of departments, directors or CEO’s are so caught up in delivering the wonderful services we provide that the fundraising team doesn’t always get the attention it deserves. Tony Elischer once said: “Fundraising is the poor cousin to marketing” – I firmly believe this to be true for most organisations I come across – despite only being in fundraising in a paid position for 18 months, I have worked with a lot of organisations, mostly on a pro-bono agreement, or as a volunteer for the last five years.
As fundraisers – we know what is right for our donors the majority of the time. So, I am calling on you, whether you’re a volunteer, sole fundraiser, executive, assistant, or officer to look around you- if you think your organisation can do something better, even a tiny bit better, make your voice heard!
There are always better ways to do things, and this includes communicating with donors. We have a abundance of stories stored away in our hard drives about the beneficiaries we’ve helped, or newspaper cuttings featuring something donors have funded and made happen… I know we have to make asks to fund our work, but there are better things to send them than just asks. When was the last time you handwrote to a few of your donors, telling them how wonderful they are? What their donation did to help the older people, or animals, or even cancer sufferers we all strive to be there for?
So, I guess what I’m trying to say is that I felt frustrated that over the course of the convention I heard people being negative. I see the current issues in the third sector as an opportunity. A opportunity to learn, grow, and be better fundraisers – but to do that, I believe that you need to be the best you can be.
Never be afraid of voicing your opinion to make this sector move forward and become spectacular.
Life is fleeting, we chose this profession to make a difference in the world, and I believe in fundraising, I believe in you.
Laura Croudace is a self-confessed charity enthusiast. A donor since childhood, she started her fundraising career as a volunteer in 2011. She went on to become a sole fundraiser, and she now works as a corporate fundraising officer. Laura can be found tweeting about fundraising at @alwayscolour.
About Laura Croudace for Women in Tech
Laura Croudace, Technology Impact Evangelist at Cirrico is proud to partner with UK Fundraising celebrating Women In Tech. Laura has worked in the nonprofit space for 14 years, and now works for Cirrico, a Salesforce partner, working with nonprofits and responsible business to create social change.
Each month Cirrico will bring you a video that focuses on a new topic, featuring women in technology who are passionate about their area of work. Why? Because women make up 13% of the technology workforce, and Cirrico wants to change that in partnership with UKFundraising.