I recently embarked on an exciting project with my client - the development of a five-year strategy for the whole of the fundraising department. Although we mainly work with individual giving, this work included each area in fundraising; corporate, major donor and trust and supporter services, ensuring that the whole department works towards a common goal.

We brought in an independent facilitator who used specialist tools to formulate and run a pre-planned workshop day to generate the strategy. Having run many of these types of workshop before, Brian had an objectiveness that helped to keep the day running as efficiently as possible. At times he was forced to cut through the charity jargon in order that we came up with a clear overarching aim and a set of strategies supporting that aim.

Prior to the workshop, and to make sure that our strategy was soundproof, we conducted a comprehensive overview of the marketplace involving a PEST analysis, competitor and share of voice analysis, in depth audience profiling including pen portraits and an organisational internal analysis.

Each attendee, including the head of fundraising, the fundraising and supporter services managers, and key agency partners were sent the marketplace analysis materials in advance for reading, thus guaranteeing the maximum amount of time at the workshop was given over towards the development of the five-year goal and its supporting strategies.

We held the workshop at an independent conference facility to ensure focus on the task in hand throughout. After a packed agenda we finished with a few well earned drinks and dinner, giving people time to chat and mull over what had been achieved from putting sixteen professionals in a room for a day!

Now all we have to do is put the strategies in place. Onwards and upwards…

Marcella McGing

Posted by Whitewater Team at 08:32 PM | Permalink

Mere days after Barry's retirement bash, Nayyar-the-bold has settled herself into his still-warm orthopaedic stool.

Some might say she's a bit disrespectful. But they’re not going to say it to her face. She's a red-head and a Brummie.

Next time you're visiting the creative department, say hi to our fabulous new copywriter. Make sure you use the right words though – she really knows what she's writing about!

Francesca Boardman

PS. Speaking of words – there are a few being bandied about at the end of Nayyar’s first week. They are: laid back and bolshy; Indie music, lovely, funky, shoe wearing copywriter; Friendly; Don’t talk to it, Eat it!!!; Bright.

Feel free to use the comments link to add a few of your own...

Posted by Whitewater Team at 03:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It's been 29 years since my first tentative foray into fundraising. Almost as long as the poetical career of E J Thribb. Now it's time to stop worrying about whether I've just unconsciously written the same appeal for a second time, and hand over to fresher talent.

'But what,' I hear you all cry, 'are the words of wisdom that you leave us with…?' Time for me to break the embarrassing silence.

When I started, I wrestled for a long time with the question why should anyone want to give their hard earned money to a charity? And slowly the answer dawned: because they want to.

People are naturally generous. Ask any human being for help, and their first, instantaneous reaction is to want to say yes. That, of course, is followed a millisecond later by the doubts – can I afford it, can I trust them, what will they actually do with my money, am I being taken for a ride here…?

Our job is simple. We have to remove those obstacles to generosity so that someone can enjoy the experience of doing good undiluted by regret. Of course there's always someone in the organisation who wants to complicate things. Just try to make sure it isn't you.

Barry Evans

Posted by Whitewater Team at 03:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)