Should fundraisers around the world pay attention to the UK’s fundraising challenges?
Howard Lake | 6 January 2016 | News
Bluefrog’s Mark Phillips talks to Kimberley MacKenzie, CFRE, Editor of Hilborn Charity Enews in Canada about the problems faced by fundraisers in 2015 and why they are relevant to fundraisers around the world.
The sustained criticism of some UK charities’ fundraising tactics and treatment of donors is being watched by many fundraisers in other countries. Others might view it as relevant only to the UK.
However, the genuine issues raised, such as public perception of charities, dealing with vulnerable donors, use of personal data, and the style, tone and volume of fundraising messages are all worthy of review by fundraisers in other countries. Charities in these countries may not be experiencing the level of criticism and attention experienced in the UK, and the rush to wholesale review of how all fundraising is regulated, but these issues and questions are a core element of how they fundraise.
Kimberley MacKenzie at Hilborn Charity Enews interviewed Mark Phillips of UK agency Bluefrog to ask him to share his interpretation of the problems faced by fundraisers and charities and how fundraisers are responding.
The 40-minute interview offers a useful introduction and overview of the challenges faced by fundraisers, and what fundraisers should focus on to overcome them.
The discussion covers issues including:
• background to the crisis
• could the Olive Cooke issue arise in Canada or other countries?
• newspaper investigative tactics e.g. journalists working undercover at fundraising agencies
• the four fundraisers of the apocalypse
• donor acquisition
You can listen to the interview here:
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.