Charlotte Bray on what you can learn about fundraising in an orchard
Growing up in the countryside, I spent my childhood up trees. We had an apple tree with a wonky trunk which made it easy to scramble up. I used to sit in the branches, pondering life’s mysteries (life is pretty mysterious when you are ten.)
Every year, being the youngest and most enthusiastic, I was sent up the tree to pick apples. Looking back, I am struck by the similarities with planning a robust fundraising strategy.
Low-hanging fruit
These potential supporters are your strongest opportunities. They may be warm to your cause and have given before. Their criteria will be a good match for your objectives. Their application process might be less laborious; expressed in your own words rather than “fit the need for your project and your aims and objectives into 500 words.”
These shiny apples are the ones you instinctively go for first. They have the best return for effort. It can take three to six months to get a funding decision normally, so quick wins provide a much-needed boost . You also now have some support behind you, encouraging other funders to get on board. Shiny apples collected: one basket full.
On the highest branch is the most enticing apple. This one piece of fruit that could make or break your appeal: maybe it’s a Big Lottery application or a European Funding bid
The middle ground
These apples needed more planning. I would scramble up the wonky trunk, with dad holding the basket and keeping a watchful eye below. Balanced on a branch, the best angle of approach wasn’t always obvious. Equally, it might take time to assess how best to engage these supporters. Which is the best project? Would they like to meet your beneficiaries? If they’re a corporate, perhaps they’re interested in staff engagement?
Your return on investment won’t be as good with these supporters. Not being good at throwing, some of the apples I picked missed the basket and fell on the ground for the birds. Equally, not all your beautifully crafted applications will be successful. Next year, you might be, especially if you’ve had feedback.
Top of the tree
You’ve been planning the treetop for a long time, even while you were collecting low-hanging fruit. On the highest branch is the most enticing apple. This one piece of fruit that could make or break your appeal: maybe it’s a Big Lottery application or a European Funding bid worth significant amounts of money. You spend days of your life researching, contacting, developing and tweaking you application so that each word is hand-picked to maximum effect.
Here’s a true story about just such an apple; the shiniest I’d ever seen. Dad watched as I stood on an unstable branch, reaching out with long handled apple pickers, rehearsing the moment when he had to tell mum I’d broken my leg. Then … hurray! The apple went tumbling into the basket: big, red, shiny and … half eaten by a bird.
Like fruit trees, appeals come in all shapes and sizes. By using techniques that are best suited to each supporter, tailoring and timing your approaches, you can gain the maximum harvest for your charity.
Just beware of apple-stealing birds.
