# Revolutionise and PFI merge to create fundraising and mission accelerator

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2022/09/05/revolutionise-and-pfi-merge-to-create-fundraising-and-mission-accelerator/
- Published: 2022-09-05T07:45:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**Seminar specialist Revolutionise International has merged with Philanthropy and
Fundraising International, the fundraising growth consultancy. The merged business
is branded as Revolutionise: accelerating people with purpose.**

The companies’ staff bring over 10 years of experience in helping charities around
the world grow their fundraising income sustainably at scale and pace, and training
events and conferences for fundraisers. PFI has worked with over 400 clients across
30 countries, and is “the largest private funder of fundraising research in the 
world”.

Alan Clayton, CEO, explains the reason for the merger. He said:

## Advertisement

> “We have seen phenomenal growth across our client base over the last three years
> as teams and leaders have triumphed through the most challenging circumstances.
> We have been able to measure the behaviours which drive this growth and and can
> identify in particular the emotionally intelligent characteristics that allow 
> some organisations to maintain or re-discover focus and energy whatever the world
> throws at them. 
> “Structure without focus and energy seems to achieve little, 
> whereas emotional leadership creates the environment within which streamlined 
> structures can flourish.”

## ⏎ Expanding to private and public sectors

As [Revolutionise](https://www.revolutionise.com/) the team is expanding its work
from charities and NGOs to private and public sector organisations that aim to work
for social good. The company’s expertise in acceleration in income and mission is
combined with behavioural insights from across sectors.

This cross-departmental approach can be summed up in a three-word methodology which
defines
the needs which Revolutionise meets:

 * Aspire
 * Align
 * Accelerate

Clayton explained: “We have been working with clients as diverse as arts and sports
organisations, PCR-testing biotechs and even promoting the railway. It turns out
that what we have learned over the decades about accelerating fundraising organisations
applies to any purpose driven organisation – and they know a few things which fundraisers
can benefit from too.”

[⌊Revolutionise 2023 - event details⌉⌊Revolutionise 2023 - event details⌉[

Revolutionise 2023 – Revolutionise’s new annual event

This multi-sector expansion is at the heart of Revolutionise’s major new event, **
Revolutionise 2023**. The [three-day event in March](https://www.revolutionise.com/events-calendar/revolutionise-2023)
is a gathering for purposeful individuals and organisations who want to balance 
achievement with contribution. Up to 750 high-level professionals from the private,
public, and charity sectors will take part amid the beautiful surroundings at Crossbasket
Castle in Glasgow.

## Great Fundraising programme continues

The fundraising acceleration work will of course continue at Revolutionise, in particular
providing and developing the ‘**Great Fundraising**’ programme it has built over
the last ten years with such success around the world.

This will be further augmented by the **latest academic research** commissioned 
from Professor Adrian Sargeant and team on the subject of “[What makes fundraisers tick?](https://fundraising.co.uk/2022/05/27/what-makes-fundraisers-tick-research-is-underway/)”

This research is currently under analysis and is studying “the largest data set 
of professional fundraisers ever achieved”. It will report in November.

It will also be presented on 30 November at the **Revolutionise Annual Lecture**
in London, for which tickets will be available shortly.

## Expanding Mission Accelerator

In addition, [Revolutionise](https://www.revolutionise.com/) is expanding the capacity
of its Mission Accelerator programme. At its heart is the conviction that, when 
a theory of change precisely aligns with fundraising communications, then an organisation
can really fly. The two are not the same, but they do need to work very closely 
together.

Clayton explains:

> “Our biggest breakthrough during the COVID years has been in joined working between
> programmes teams and fundraising teams to bring emotional alignment to the entire
> organisation. This cuts out the cultural conflict between functions and creates
> that much needed focus and energy. Many of our clients now want to re-find this
> focus after many months of distractions.”

## ⏎ Why now?

Why is the merger happening now? Clayton said:

> “What we are hearing now is organisations wishing to ‘get the energy back’ as 
> teams return refreshed.
> “We are very clear that focus and leadership are what create energy. We are also
> clear in terms of our service offering that the synergy created by seminars, creativity
> and consulting provides the optimum solution. So that’s why we are merging and
> re-launching now – it’s time for so many organisations to get the energy back.”
