DCMS launches fundraising training programme for small charities
Melanie May | 19 July 2017 | News
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport has launched a small charities fundraising training programme, run by the Foundation for Social Improvement (FSI) in partnership with the Small Charities Coalition, Localgiving and the Charities Finance Group.
The programme offers free and low cost training for small charities including face-to-face training, intensive one-to-one advice sessions, skilled volunteering matches and webinars. The training covers topics including:
- developing a fundraising strategy
- fundraising from trusts and foundations
- developing corporate relationships
- crowdfunding and online fundraising
The FSI, together with Local Giving, Charities Finance Group and Small Charities Coalition will be delivering over 4,000 learning opportunities before March 2018 in 17 locations across the UK.
The first year’s training programme has been announced, and comprises:
- face-to-face training
- face-to-face workshops
- telephone advice sessions
- 30 minute and 1.5 hour webinars
- a Small Charity Fundraising Conference in Leeds
- a skilled volunteering mentoring programme
- bursaries to the FSI’s Fundraising Award Qualification which will be running throughout the year
Fundraising training resources and toolkits will also be developed to support small charities that might be unable to attend training.
Commenting on the launch, Mike Smith, Head of External Affairs, at the Institute of Fundraising said:
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“This programme will make a big difference for those charities who are able to benefit and is a very welcome initiative. However, it will still only be a drop in the ocean when fewer than one in four local charities say they have the skills to run a successful fundraising campaign. We believe that there needs to be a more coordinated effort across government at all levels, in collaborating with the charity sector, to build fundraising capacity and ensure smaller charities can raise funds for their important work in a sustainable way.”
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.