Essential Fundraising – Joining them to beat them

Board level fundraisers are the way ahead. Alice Devitt explains why.
Ive been ranting in this occasional column for some time on the need to acknowledge, respect and learn from the skills and approach fundraisers bring to the arts. Ive also tried to identify ways in which Board members can be turned into useful assets rather than a drain on ticket allocations and entertainment expenses.

After a while the whingeing gets boring and I have now developed a modest proposal to try and amend the situation. It is universally acknowledged that arts fundraisers need to learn from the charity and commercial sectors. We also now need to learn from the authoritarian left, MI5 and Islamic fundamentalism and develop a programme of mass entryism. We need to scale the commanding heights of the arts infrastructure and start becoming Board members. We have to swear on our honour as fundraisers, and on the life of the Blessed Lord Levy, that we will be useful when we get there. We must support staff and try to develop longer term Board views. This seems to be a quicker way to influence culture, and develop genuinely rewarding relationships with our audiences and supporters, than weeping into white wine after Board meetings. We should all be acting as advocates for the fundraisers and explain to our fellow members that generating philanthropic income is about relationships not money.

A very distinguished theatre impresario met with a good friend of mine who was fundraising for a liberal, but fairly arcane, political cause. Just as my mate was going into her act she was asked, Can I stop you there? Do you want my time, money or contacts? All fundraisers would be eternally grateful for such a succinct understanding of how individuals can help a cause they believe in. If all Board members imbibed the same message we would transform fundraising in countless not-for-profit organisations. If we extend the list to time, money, contacts or skills then I believe fundraisers can make major contributions to any Board.

Of course there are some glossily prominent usual suspects capable of adding lustre to fairly high-tone arts establishments. I still believe the arts need more senior volunteers who really know about fundraising. As I work on Board development and strategic planning I am generally more likely to come across producers, general managers and practitioners. If you add a sprinkling of corporate sector finance and legal input, from partners high enough up the ladder to explore their personal interests, and the occasional faith leader for quirk value, you have described most Boards. Like so many people, Board members think they know about fundraising. There are amazing exceptions to this rule, but on the whole it is very easy for people to talk about the theory of fundraising without ever helping to make money. I have been enlightened at many Board meetings and cultivations as to how I should do my job. The talking is so easy but the doing is so hard. A huge range of skills is needed by modern arts organisations, and it seems insane to me that so few seem to have access to sound fundraising advice based on solid practice.

I have tended to help organisations on a project-by-project basis rather than by sitting on a Board. Unfortunately, I have found that too many organisations dont seem to be able to tap into senior volunteer help outside the Board and Fundraising Committee structure. I have been lucky enough to work with socially focused arts organisations with no money, doing great work. I have offered my services for free to a few of the most impressive. They all desperately need income strategies, business plans, Board development and strategic branding work. They are all really keen to use my services but cant spare the time to think how they can go about it. I am re-thinking my aversion to formal support.

Many organisations have myriad different offers from skilled people who want to get involved and yet we often seem to struggle to find practical ways in which they can help. Some of this requires brain space but a little creativity never hurts. I once worked with one of those hunter-killer corporate fundraisers at a leading homelessness charity. She couldnt think long-term, plan, read a balance sheet, write or spell. She got around the illiteracy and innumeracy by sidling up to me and simpering, Hey baaabe can I borrow your braaaiinn. So all in all pretty vile. She was, however, enormously effective. Watching her dash across the veldt of a conference room in pursuit of a corporate partner was both beautiful and terrible. As she jumped on their necks to disable them before dragging them into a corner to ensure an ongoing commitment to our winter programme, you felt that only a David Attenborough commentary could do her justice. In addition to her disturbing ability to coerce captains of industry into philanthropic involvement with street drinking she really knew her limitations. She knew she wasnt strategic but produced one of the best corporate strategies Ive ever read. Then again one of the brand managers at Unilever had offered his help in a weak moment. So she asked him to gather all the Unilever brand managers together and then set them the task of developing the corporate strategy. It was enormously effective. As talented, but not yet loaded, professionals they were asked for help they could actually give. They were involved, learned more and delivered a great strategy. I am sure many organisations could benefit from this approach, but people do get bored waiting to be asked. I now believe a proactive drive to recruit Board level fundraisers is the way ahead.

Of course conflicts of interest would need to be addressed, but that is the case with any professional. Fundraisers should be there to advise, support and change the culture. If appropriate they could contribute to strategic planning processes. I cant think of a single organisation that does not need this advice. So there you go. Go back to your CVs and prepare for power.