Cuts in public funding mean fundraisers are asking more and more of corporate partners, conference hears
Fundraisers are turning their attentions to the business world to make up for the shrinking public purse.
The Scottish Fundraising Conference heard that companies are seeing an upturn in applications as statutory cash sources dry up.
In a session on corporate funding, hosted by former BBC presenter Abeer Macintyre, now managing director of charity consultants Bruce Tait Associates, a panel of experts discussed the changing landscape in a time of austerity.
Questions were raised about whether large charities that employ teams of corporate fundraisers are at an advantage when it comes to approaching companies.
There was broad agreement that there was a trend for an increase in applications.
Andy hall from Barclays Bank said that for every 100 applications for funding his organisation recieves, only five or six make it through.
David Mackenzie from Robertson Construction said that his company is “happy to help – but where’s the public purse?”
Ann Loughrey of Scottish Power, formerly of Energy Action Scotland, said there has been an “increase because of local authority cuts, austerity and welfare reform.”
All said that businesses are doing what they can to respond to demand – with Mark Bevan of Business In The Community Scotland, formerly of Amnesty International and Capability Scotland, insisting that increasingly companies are acting out of “enlightened self-interest.”
He cited the example of Scotish holiday finder Sky Scanner which is having to hire coders from Spain because there’s not enough in Scotland.
He said it is investing in helping to develop the coding abilities of children in Scottish schools as a result.
Questions were raised about whether large charities that employ teams of corporate fundraisers are at an advantage when it comes to approaching companies.
However, the panel mostly disagreed, claiming charitable giving can be driven by staff and also personal relationships, not always corporate fundraisers.
Significantly, all agreed that companies have identified need, often in allied sectors, and have tailored their charity funding accordingly. Fundraisers, therefore, should look carefully at what a corporate is interested in before approaching them.
The Scottish Fundraising Conference is a two day event in Glasgow running today and tomorrow (4 and 5 October) and focusing on the professional development of fundraising.
The Institute of Fundraising run two-day gathering features motivational plenary presentations and forty different sessions highlighting inspirational speakers and showcasing the very best fundraising practice.
