First published 15 April, 2019 In 2018 the FIA Foundation commissioned a new piece of research to look at the characteristics of truly exceptional fundraising organisations in Australia. The results of this study were launched at the FIA conference in Melbourne in March. For me there were several stand-out issues. EXCEPTIONAL LEADERS The first was the quality of the leadership. Our great organisations had exceptional leaders who had a steely belief in their ability to achieve significant growth. They were also individuals who were immensely humble about their achievements, typically citing the source of their success as the team they had appointed around them. We also found a high incidence…
First published April, 2019 Elsa was an 11-year-old whose mother was a professional fundraiser. One day the girl informed her mum that she wanted to help her raise the money to build a women’s shelter. You see, the daughter calculated that to raise $1 million she only had to find 3,334 donors to give $25 a month for a year. After 12 months they would raise all the money they needed. Elsa announced, “I’m going to go door-to-door to recruit those monthly donors.” Her surprised mum said, “Isn’t that too big a job for just one girl?” And her daughter proclaimed, “Don’t worry, I have a friend who promised to…
Rachel Carr COUNTRY DIRECTOR, MOVEMBER FOUNDATION AUSTRALIA Supporter fatigue is a common challenge in event-based fundraising. When the Movember campaign burst onto the scene in 2005, it resonated strongly with young men, influenced grooming trends and helped cement the moustache back into popular culture. Taking part in Movember meant you belonged to an exclusive club of Mo Bros and Mo Sistas, as well as being part of the wider men’s health movement. Known for our innovative approach and unique ability to connect with a male audience, the hairy month of Movember is now approaching 16 years in Australia and five million supporters globally. That’s a lot of moustaches. However, over the…
You’d be forgiven for thinking that to have the top job you need to have loads of industry experience. What I’ve found is this isn’t always the case. Sure, for some jobs, it’s crucial to understand the company, the industry and the overarching space intimately. But for others, it’s just as crucial to have some outsider perspective. Which is exactly what I had coming into the CEO position with Victorian not-for-profit, State Schools Relief. STARTING OUT I grew up the daughter of Greek immigrants and, right from the start, I learnt the importance of hard work. My parents always stressed the importance of education, and while leadership was not something…
1. NO ONE ENTITY WILL CHANGE THE WORLD It has often been said that the nonprofit sector is the most caring. We think it can be said, equally, that the nonprofit sector is the most sharing. Fundraising colleagues share techniques, ideas, trends and benchmarks with one another without hesitation. You wouldn’t see that level of sharing, voluntarily, in the airline, financial, legal or other sectors. Funders today are demanding we collaborate for the common good. Gone are the days when public and private sectors are prepared to sustain multiple organisations with the same mission. Such organisations need to collaborate, and even merge, to alleviate funding pressure and manage donor expectations.…
FIA has made a strong submission in defence of cheques as a payment method, following moves from the financial services sector to phase out this important donation channel within two years. In our submission to the Australian Payments Council on the future of payment systems in Australia, we urged the banks and other financial services players to consult further or risk serious harm to charitable giving. Our concern about the proposed phasing out of cheques as a payment method is that it puts millions of dollars’ worth of donations at risk, especially from older Australians who are often the best donors and tend to favour cheques. Within the charitable giving…
Since the inception of capital campaigns more than a century ago, much has changed in the world around us. One of the most significant changes is that today more than ever before, we are able to access information and knowledge. More often than not, literally at our fingertips and instantly. The changes we are witnessing are part of a larger transformational shift that focuses high-quality professional expertise where it is most valuable. Whether legal, medical, accounting or fundraising, knowledge is no longer held by a select group of experts who deliver it through one-on-one consultation. With platforms like LawPath and WebMD, new internet applications make it possible for people to…
Australia’s start to the new year highlighted the catastrophic impact of extreme weather. The media extensively covered bushfires in Victoria’s Central Highlands and Gippsland regions, the bushfires in Tasmania – which have occurred in many places for the first time in memory – and unprecedented flooding across Queensland. During this time, we also recognised the tenth anniversary of Black Saturday and the devastation and recovery of communities. As a nation we give generously during times of disasters. It makes us feel proud to be Australian when stories emerge of generous giving and heroic volunteer efforts. What happens when the crisis has passed? What happens when we face natural disasters that…
Rainforest Rescue’s project will restore rainforest on a degraded site. The profit-at-all-costs mentality is doing untold damage to the planet and society. It’s pretty clear that the high rates of economic growth we’ve seen in the past are not sustainable. Audrey Choi from Morgan Stanley’s Institute of Sustainable Investing sums up the problem this way: “By 2050, more than nine billion people will inhabit the planet. The demand for food, energy and water will increase dramatically along with the population. It is easy to say we hope government or philanthropy will figure out a way to help, but private capital can and must play a role in addressing these very…
