Professionalism – Critical Fundraising

Have fundraising ideas created by native English-speakers crowded out fundraising that is better suited to local philanthropic cultures

Are worldwide fundraising practices, ethics and regulation dominated by ideas developed in English-speaking countries?
If so, do these crowd out practices and ideas better suited to the local culture of philanthropy?
New Rogare project and working paper aims to provide a roadmap for fundraisers to professionalise fundraising in ways that are best adapted to local cultures.
A key implication is that there can be no universal standard of fundraising ethics that applies around the world.

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 – February 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.

NEW THINKING: Blog digest – October 2021

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

NEWS: Raising standards – New report calls for formal pathways for fundraisers

As the fundraising profession faces a skills crisis, is it time to introduce formal pathways into the profession?

OPINION: The cases for and against graduate entry into fundraising

In response to the NonGraduatesWelcome social media campaign, Ian MacQuillin looks at the arguments for and against graduate recruitment into fundraising and asks whether NonGraduatesWelcome risks falling into the trap of anti-intellectual populism.

KNOWLEDGE: More critical thinking at the Ask Direct Summer School

Another week, another conference. This time, it’s the Summer School, devised, hosted and run by Rogare Associate Member Ask Direct. Now in its third year, the event will take place at Trinity College in Dublin on Thursday 12 and Friday 13 July.

KNOWLEDGE: A deep dive into professional knowledge at AFP I-Con in New Orleans

Rogare identifies the sessions at AFP I-Con that explore issues in fundraising from a critical thinking perspective.

OPINION: We need to talk about donor dominance

Not only did the Presidents club dinner highlight inappropriate behavior by men against women generally, it also raised the more specific question of how fundraisers respond to such behaviour by donors. Heather Hill says we need to start this conversation.