Fundraising and campaigning work are both at the heart of any organisation that relies upon charitable donations from the public and/or business. They both require persistence, stealth and a steely determination to achieve your objectives. However, they both represent a crucial aspect of a charity’s ability to operate and without volunteers to work in these areas, many organisations that rely on financial donations would simply die and, therefore, their chosen causes might become neglected as a result.
Are they both the Same Thing?
Although fundraisers and campaigners cannot be strictly defined as one and the same thing, they are both intrinsically linked and one would find it hard to survive without the other as fundraisers rely on campaigners to get an organisation’s message across and the campaigners rely on the fundraisers to collect the money as a result. In certain charities, there is a good deal of cross-fertilisation whereby volunteers will be employed in both aspects whilst, for larger charities, they will often have a separate campaign office with marketing people, press officers and dedicated campaign strategists.
However, for the purposes of this article, it will outline some of the skills, personal qualities and duties required that would cover both disciplines given that many volunteers in charities are involved in both aspects. The essence being that fundraisers raise money, campaigners raise awareness.
Skills Required
All charities are operating in an extremely crowded market place where there is only a finite pot of money to go around. All of us will have several experiences, perhaps weekly, or even more frequently, of being asked for charitable donations and we’re not able to give all of the time. To be a skilled fundraiser or campaigner, you need to be sure that you have initially got your ‘message’ across appropriately to stir the consciences of those from whom you’re looking to raise funds and/or awareness.
Therefore, the types of skills and personal qualities you’ll need if you want to be good at it are:
Good communication and interpersonal skills
An ability to relate quickly and easily with people
A persuasive nature
Tenacity
Determination
An ability to thrive on targets
Diplomacy
Tact - especially if you’re at the ‘sharp’ end out on the street collecting, for example, where you’ll need to know the boundaries where people might feel intimidated by your request for money and you must know where to draw that line.
It’s important to remember that one person’s decision not to donate is no reflection on you or the cause you’re promoting and that it’s not worth ruining your organisation’s reputation by being too ‘pushy’. Campaigners also need to be creative and resourceful and be keen planners when it comes to the location, method and timings of a particular event or announcement or the message can end up being lost.
Typical Duties
These might include:
House to house collections
Collecting on the town’s main streets or outside shops
Collecting clothing and other articles from people, which can be used to raise money.
Leaflet dropping
Arranging sponsorships
Writing press releases and putting together press packs
Writing applications for funding and sending mail shots
Preparing reports for donors and trustees of the charity,
Arranging/participating in ‘fun days’ or other events
Producing posters and newsletters.
If you like the fast-paced ‘buzz’ of being at the heart of a campaign where everybody pitches in to achieve a common goal, usually by a certain deadline, if you’re a good talker and listener and have a ‘thick skin’ when it comes to knock-backs, this might be the voluntary opportunity you are looking for and any charity will always be glad of help from people who can display these types of skills and qualities. It’s then simply a matter of choosing which one.
Hi, I went through 5 years of emotional and physical abuse purely because I fell hook, line and sinker for this man.He potentially bought me, cash, flowers, champagne, perfume every day, but I loved him, the first day I got in his car and he slid his hand up my skirt. He was famous back in the day I suppose. He lured me, wanted me, bought me gifts everyday to the office, but then when I was hooked, he changed, I was so in love with him first time not because of the gifts but he I was in love with him, I knew it straight off, but then he wanted me to do disgusting things for him, i.e. sleep with other men for his `get offs' or to do things that I didn't like, for example pushing needles through my nipples, the list is endless.Tattoes.I loved him, I would have died for him.... it was a crazy 5 years but what a waste of space.I have come out the other side.I am thick skinned, I got out.What I want to portray is that there are vulnerable adults not just young, but older. I would be happy to explain morebut it's still raw for me so I am not sure I would be suitable for you.
Jill - 20-Sep-12 @ 9:07 PM
Hi, I went through 5 years of emotional and physical abuse purely because I fell hook, line and sinker for this man.He potentially bought me, cash, flowers, champagne, perfume every day, but I loved him, the first day I got in his car and he slid his hand up my skirt. He was famous back in the day I suppose. He lured me, wanted me, bought me gifts everyday to the office, but then when I was hooked, he changed, I was so in love with him first time not because of the gifts but he I was in love with him, I knew it straight off, but then he wanted me to do disgusting things for him, i.e. sleep with other men for his `get offs' or to do things that I didn't like, for example pushing needles through my nipples, the list is endless.Tattoes.I loved him, I would have died for him.... it was a crazy 5 years but what a waste of space.I have come out the other side.I am thick skinned, I got out.What I want to portray is that there are vulnerable adults not just young, but older. I would be happy to explain morebut it's still raw for me so I am not sure I would be suitable for you.
Jill - 20-Sep-12 @ 9:07 PM
Hi, I went through 5 years of emotional and physical abuse purely because I fell hook, line and sinker for this man.He potentially bought me, cash, flowers, champagne, perfume every day, but I loved him, the first day I got in his car and he slid his hand up my skirt. He was famous back in the day I suppose. He lured me, wanted me, bought me gifts everyday to the office, but then when I was hooked, he changed, I was so in love with him first time not because of the gifts but he I was in love with him, I knew it straight off, but then he wanted me to do disgusting things for him, i.e. sleep with other men for his `get offs' or to do things that I didn't like, for example pushing needles through my nipples, the list is endless.Tattoes.I loved him, I would have died for him.... it was a crazy 5 years but what a waste of space.I have come out the other side.I am thick skinned, I got out.What I want to portray is that there are vulnerable adults not just young, but older. I would be happy to explain morebut it's still raw for me so I am not sure I would be suitable for you.
Jill - 20-Sep-12 @ 9:07 PM
I am very interested in manning the telephones and I believe I have the necessary skills to do this.What is the next step for me ?
Has - 12-Jul-12 @ 5:13 PM
Although in-person requires an outgoing personality and a thick skin (most people are going to either ignore you or say no), working behind the scenes, writing up material or helping in other ways can be good for the more retiring person. In other words, no matter who you are (or what age) you can be involved, and it's worth stressing this. These days, fundraising for charities and projects is very important, as are the volunteers who do it (as opposed to the 'chuggers').
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