What have you wished for?

by Sandra Millar

I don’t mean New Year’s resolutions – I mean your hopes and dreams for 2010.

Remember, hopes and dreams can only become a reality if you have a plan. And that word – PLAN – makes us groan with despair, which is why I normally formulate my plans around my hopes and dreams. There seems no other way to make this task easier.

Ideally, your plans should look something like this.

Firstly, I want you to answer these questions as though this is your first day at a new job. (You will not look for the answers in the annual report or in the executive summary – you will say what you think the answers should be. Don’t give the predicable ‘safe’ answers – answer as though money is no object, there is no skills shortage and capacity is no problem at all) This is a great exercise for everyone to be involved with – Board Members, Management, volunteers, staff members, beneficiaries and donors. I know it is not easy to get everyone involved, but do try. Otherwise to it with as many people as you can – but you must get started, quickly.

Seven Questions

Question one – What is your mission?

Question two – Who is your beneficiary?

Question three – Who is your donor?

Question four – What does your beneficiary value?

Question five – What does your donor value?

Question six – What are your results?

Question seven – What is your plan?

This exercise will make it easier for you to focus on what’s right and what’s wrong within your NPO or Organisation.

Do not be mistaken by believing that these questions are easy to answer or can be answered in a day or a week. Answers must be driven by results and will satisfy the following:-

·         What is your purpose?

·         Why do you do want you do?

·         What do you want to be remembered for?

Focus on Fundraising

Secondly, focus on fundraising. A fundraiser’s only task is to fundraise. (Whether you employ a full time fundraiser or outsource this function).  As a fundraiser you are directly responsible for the upliftment of the marginalised people and animals in Southern Africa.

Have you tapped every available source of funding? (I.e. Corporate donors, trusts and foundations, direct mail, events, debit orders, income generation programmes) Do you have well written concise proposals? Are you proposals project based? Do you know how many projects your NPO has? Do you really know how much money you need for each project? Do you know how many beneficiaries you reach? Do you know what donors expect from you? Do you have an annual financial goal to work towards?

Remember, truly outstanding NPO’s are the ones who:

1.       Are brilliant on basics;

2.       Know that ‘tools’ (i.e. plans, meetings,) don’t substitute for thinking;

3.       Realise that intellect does not overpower wisdom;

4.       Will not allow analysis to impede action;

5.       Keep things simple in a complex world;

6.       Respect their beneficiaries and donors equally;

7.       Listen to their staff and treat them like adults;

8.       Allow some chaos in return for quick action and regular experimentation;

9.       Do excellent and trustworthy things; and

10.    Present the same single consistent message over many years.

I think that’s enough to deal with now – plan three, four and five will be addressed in the next newsletter – please let me know what your answers to the first plan are.

The King Report

by Asna Bhana

A great way to start new year. A year which will places our beautiful country on the centre stage, propelling us all to greater levels of excellence.

Lots of talk last year about the economic meltdown and how as fundraising professionals, we had to dig deep and forged ahead. Paradoxically, providing some for us with the impetus to experience greater return, despite the negative growth.

Our relevance as fundraisers lies in the application of our box-of-tricks within a context of current trends and development. As we have begun to understand the impact of the BBBEE Codes of Good Practise on the NGO world, so too we need to look at the terms and implementation of the KING III report with a keen eye. In this segment we touch on its context and philosophy.

The King Report on Governance has been in the forefront in international corporate governance thinking. Worldwide corporate governance has come under the spotlight during the past decade. At its simplest level corporate governance can be described as the system by which organisations are directed and controlled.

The philosophy of the KING III report revolves around leadership, sustainability and corporate citizenship. It now applies to all entities including private companies and brings the role of the Board as the focal point of good governance. King III includes recommendations on how directors should execute their responsibilities in terms of the duty of care, skill and diligence with particular reference to ethical practises.

The report defines the responsibility of the directors to ensure, among others, that the company:

·         operates ethically and with integrity, and as a responsible corporate citizen

·         considers the interests of the community within which it operates

·         integrates governance, strategy, risk, performance and sustainability

·         complies with laws and regulations

·         identifies and manages risks

·         employs structures and processes to ensure the integrity of its integrated reporting

King III is therefore in essence about the building of an ethical culture within the corporate world. When Companies considers & acts upon the impact of their activities on society this when real partnership between for-profits & non-profits will be realised. In the mean time as non-profits we have our work cut out for in understanding the benefits and implications of the KING III principles and best practice, supporting its appropriate application.

Fundraising Forum will be publishing the practise notes from time to time.

To publish, or not to publish

by FrancesBoshoff

A press release is an effective way of letting the media, donors or potential donors and public know about your NPO and its needs. It is also an effective way to promote the services of your NPO and to make your wish list known.

Competition for press release space is fierce and only the best press releases get published. How do you compete with all the other press release out there?

In 95% of the cases the press release is irrelevant, confusing or buried in an advertising hype and jargon. This press release’s only effect is to irritate the editor and it lands in file 13. Build a relationship with the newspapers and find out what they will / will not publish.

A press release that is full of NPOs achievements instead of focusing on what will interest the target audience could ruin its reputation or if you only post a press release on your website, filled with jargon, you will expose your NPO to ridicule.

Have a strategy for every press release to the media and / or on your website.

Don’t write a press release filled with jargon, focus on the story and if you still see the need, then add the jargon.

Before producing a press release, ask the following questions:

·         Is it a good story?

·         Is it relevant?

·         Will the reader be captivated?

·         Does it make sense?

·         Are all the facts included?

Why do press releases fail?

·         Self gratification

·         No useful information

·         No value to the reader

·         Too many ideas in the story

Some tips and tricks:

·         Find a hook to hang the story on

·         Write in a conversational style

·         Don’t leave questions in the readers mind

·         Don’t assume prior knowledge

·         Keep your sentences and paragraphs short (7 words per sentence, 7 lines per paragraph)

·         Don’t use jargon

·         When reading it through – ask yourself: “So what?” after each sentence.

Get a copy of the Essential Managers Writing Skills (ISBN 0 7513 3365 6) and start writing press releases and other communication matter that will rock your NPO in 2010! 

Books of the month

During December there was lots of time to read, so this month we are featuring three books.

The Corporate Citizen – Mervyn King (R180 + postage)

The interest in good governance has grown tremendously in the past decade. Corporate scandals, environmental awareness and globalisation have all played their part in raising shareholder and public awareness in how companies should be governed. The author writes that while legislation is putting more pressure on companies to comply, good governance is not about a quantitative or tick-box approach. Rather, companies should be approaching governance from a qualitative perspective. He argues that in the current economic climate it makes sense both from a business perspective as well as ethically to adopt this approach. The author provides a history and clear definition of corporate governance. This is followed by essential reading on the duties of directors and the chairman; the five 'corporate sins'; a framework of corporate governance; the relationship between the company and its directors; risk and governance; asking the 'dumb questions'; a code of conduct; and self-evaluation. This title is essential reading for directors and managers, shareholders and stakeholders, and business students. In addition, the principles set forth are equally applicable to non-business entities such as school governing bodies, sports and cultural organisations, non-governmental organisations and government departments.

How to write fundraising materials that raise more money – Tom Ahern (R180 + postage)

As journalist Gene Fowler put it, "Writing is easy. All you do is stare at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead."

Certainly, many of us in fundraising feel that way. Whenever we're called upon to draft a solicitation letter, or write copy for the website, or produce a few passages for the annual report, or, heaven forbid, long stretches of a proposal or case statement, we sit there … and if we're lucky crank out serviceable prose. Few would call it sparkling. And too few are moved to write a check in response. Each year, bland writing costs organizations mountains of revenue. There's the expense of producing the materials - the printing, production, and processing, to say nothing of the postage costs. But much more consequential is the lost revenue - the money not raised when these homogenized materials fail to connect with the very people who would donate if they were motivated by what they read. It needn't be this way, and it won't be this way any longer for those who invest a few hours in Tom Ahern's new book, How to Write Fundraising Materials that Raise More Money.

The wisdom of whores – Elizabeth Pisani (R185 + postage)

A flame-throwing epidemiologist talks about sex, drugs, and the mistakes (dismal), ideologies (vicious), and hopes (realistic) of international AIDS prevention. When people ask Elizabeth Pisani what she does for a living, she says, sex and drugs. As an epidemiologist researching AIDS, she's been involved with international efforts to halt the disease for fourteen years. With swashbuckling wit and fierce honesty, she dishes on herself and her colleagues as they try to prod reluctant governments to fund HIV prevention for the people who need it most--drug injectors, gay men, sex workers, and johns. Pisani chats with flamboyant Indonesian transsexuals about their boob jobs and watches Chinese streetwalkers turn away clients because their SUVs aren't nice enough. With verve and clarity, she shows the general reader how her profession really works; how easy it is to draw wrong conclusions from objective data; and, shockingly, how much money is spent so very badly. Exhibit A: the 45 billion taxpayer dollars the Bush administration is committing to international AIDS programs. 12 illustrations.

These books are available from our bookstore – www.fundraisingforum.co.za

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