There are some very smart insights, as well as some challenging calls
for meaningful change, in this article from Third Sector, where they’ve
asked leading UK based fundraisers to make their predictions about the future of fundraising.
My top five quotes from the piece:
“We continue to try to get the next generation of world changers to conform to the existing charity model”
– Leesa Harwood, fundraising consultant
“There is already a shift towards the principles of ‘supporter
engagement’, which prioritise the whole supporter experience, value
every type of contribution – such as money, time, voice and more – build
relationships and movements focused primarily on long-term impact over
short-term transactions, and break down those unhelpful internal silos
of fundraising, communications, campaigning, volunteering and so on.”
– Joe Jenkins, Children’s Society
“It’s no longer the case that people will set up direct debits and
simply leave them running for 25 years without thinking about it. People
will simply ‘vote with their feet’ and find other ways and other
organisations if they don’t think they’re getting what they want from
you.”
– Kathryn Holloway, Friends of the Earth
“At Greenpeace we’ve just launched a fundraising team dedicated to
raising money using instant messaging, because we know direct dialogue
works and conversations are happening more and more online. We’re simply
adapting established fundraising methodology to a shifting media
landscape. People don’t really change, but how they send and receive
communications does. The trick is to be agile and aware. “
– Deborah O’Dowd, Greenpeace
Reject incrementalism: If by 2030 all we’ve done is manage decline in
“traditional” fundraising approaches or maintained the status quo, other
organisations yet unknown will be doing a better job than we are.”
– Paul de Gregorio, Rally agency
There’s tons more in the full article, I’d really recommend taking the time to read through it, and would love to hear what you think.
