Fundraisers should be honest with their funders in order to develop relationships that can make a tangible difference, delegates at the Chartered Institute of Fundraising’s annual convention have been told.
Speaking during a panel session at the event in London yesterday, Josephine McCartney, chief executive of the Childhood Trust, said honesty was key to making sure charities’ relationships with funders is transformational, not transactional.
“Be honest with your funders if you’re having problems with the money you’ve received and you can’t deliver the services,” she said.
“That’s what relationships are – you solve problems together, you address challenges head-on.
“Funders just sit on the other side of the fence. We want to know if you’ve got problems because we want to be able to help you.”
She added that honesty moved the connection “from transactional to relational”, saying that fundraisers were more likely to be trusted in the long term if they were realistic about their challenges.
Paul Jackson, group chief executive of Hospital Saturday Fund, told the panel session it was important for charities to build relationships with trusts and foundations, saying: “The main thing is to engage with us and find out what we want. The more engagement you have with us, the more the grantmaking committee will get to know you.”
McCartney urged charities not to “lump all trusts and foundations together”, instead urging them to apply based on whether they meet the specific organisation’s criteria.
“But also understand their motivation for giving and whether it might be possible to go beyond the scope of the set criteria that those trusts and foundations have, because that’s genuinely where the magic happens.”
She said that while some grantmakers have a strict set of criteria, others – such as private family trusts and foundations – often have a choice as a foundation account.
But McCartney said charities were facing a “challenge” at present, with there not being much money available and increased competition for funds.
“For you as fundraisers, it’s about how you can stand out. One of the most common challenges that you have as fundraisers is being able to bring your organisation to life, because you actually haven’t had a conversation with that trust or foundation.”
She said: “There are some trusts and foundations that are very good for communication, but there are lots that never want to speak to fundraisers. That’s your biggest challenge – sometimes you can’t get past that barrier of actually just having a conversation to understand what that trust or foundation is looking for.”
Abigail Sever, senior relationship manager at Prism the Gift Fund, said that while tapping into high-net-worth individuals might feel really daunting for charities, they could start by familiarising themselves with philanthropic advisers – adding that Prism was increasingly working with more philanthropic advisers.
“Their [philanthropic advisors’] approaches are all very different, so make sure you’re aware of those that fit your charitable objectives,” Sever said.
When asked how charities can make themselves appealing to trusts and foundations that have closed to new applications, McCartney urged fundraisers to stay in touch with them.
“Build a relationship with them at this point, so by the time they do open again, you’re already in the door,” she said.