Fundraising profession – Critical Fundraising

Chartered Institute of Fundraising calls for charities to sign Donor Code of Conduct pledge

The Chartered Institute of Fundraising, along with Rogare – the Fundraising Think Tank, has today called on charities across the UK to sign a pledge committing to develop and implement a Donor Code of Conduct that will safeguard fundraisers from inappropriate donor or supporter behaviour. This comes after more than half of surveyed fundraisers reported having experienced behaviour by a donor or supporter that made them feel physically or mentally unsafe.

NEWS: Give fundraisers ownership of their tasks and targets if you don’t want them to leave

Having ownership of tasks and practising a variety of skills is significantly linked to intention to stay in a job
But pro-social mindsets have no effect on turnover intention; pro-sociality is what gets people into fundraising in the first place, but not what keeps them in a job
Fundraisers should have a say in setting their own targets
Charities should provide fundraisers with skills-based continuing professional development.

NEWS: Do fundraisers care too much? New research reveals the hidden trauma and burnout crisis in fundraising

New research from Irish fundraiser Michelle Reynolds highlights four factors contributing to stress among fundraisers
Fundraisers feel they can’t say no to taking on extra work
Perception that the trauma and mental health issues experienced by fundraisers are “nothing” compared to those experienced by beneficiaries and frontline staff
Fundraising/charity leadership needs to tackle endemic burnout in the fundraising profession, which it has ignored for too long

Fundraising insights from Australia and New Zealand

Rogare’s director Ian MacQuillin visited Australia and New Zealand in September with the support of Rogare Associate Member Giving Architects. In this blog he considers various aspects of that trip:

Rogare’s ethics of school fundraising project
The implications of this project being conducted in Australasia
Alternative conceptualisation of a fundraising profession
Māori philanthropy and fundraising.

NEW THINKING: The history of fundraising is more complex than our simple narratives suggest

Our standard narrative of the history of modern fundraising is simplistic and doesn’t contain as many truths as it could do. Marina Jones explains why we need more complexity in our study of fundraising history. Oh, and that as soon as we look for it, we find that women have had a major role in the development of our profession – a role that has previously been obscured.

Why donor codes of conduct must become ubiquitous

Rogare has recently published a code of conduct for donors. Although published as part of our work on gender issues in fundraising, Ian MacQuillin argues that such codes have wider relevance.

Rogare publishes Blueprint to dismantle patriarchal structures in fundraising

Report contains 45 recommendations to bring about transformational structural change
Based on ‘Lean Out’ Feminism
Key recommendations include:
1. Donor codes of conduct
2. An awareness campaign to encourage men to call out misogyny
3. Ratings agencies and grantfunders to consider charities’ gender performance.

NEW THINKING: Blog digest – November/December 2022

Each month, the Critical Fundraising blog presents a digest of the best fundraising-related blogs and articles from the previous month that have adopted a critical fundraising mode of thought. This month we have a double edition as the editor got Covid and was not able to compile the November digest.

Inclusion in this digest does not indicate that Rogare agrees with any arguments presented, only that we thought they made a good case.

The ‘wildcard blog’ is a blog that does not discuss ideas that are directly related to fundraising, but whose ideas we might be able to use if we think critically and imaginatively about them.

NEW THINKING: Neither amateur nor professional but something in between – the ‘Corinthian’ nature of fundraising and the problems that causes

Fundraising is torn between the need to be professional while at the same time embodying ‘amateur’ values. Ian MacQuillin argues this compromise exacerbates a power differential between givers and askers.

NEW THINKING: Blog digest – July 2022

Each month, the Critical Fundraising blog presents a digest of the best fundraising-related blogs and articles from the previous month that have adopted a critical fundraising mode of thought.

Inclusion in this digest does not indicate that Rogare agrees with any arguments presented, only that we thought they made a good argument.

The ‘wildcard blog’ is a blog that does not discuss ideas that are directly related to fundraising, but whose ideas we might be able to use if we think critically and imaginatively about them.