Unless you’re a fundraiser in the UK, you may not be familiar with Civil Society Media’s Fundraising magazine. The February 2010 issue includes a must-read article from Peter Storey, individual giving manager at Kidney Research UK.
Just a few years ago, the idea of supporter acquisition, retention and development of lifetime value was some way off for the organization. To adopt a stronger fundraising culture, the organization embraced a simple principle: make fundraising the center of the organization by finding specific ways for all employees and all volunteers to become part of the income-raising process.
The culture at Kidney Research UK could be described as commercial and indeed, someone once called it ‘masculine’. Our commercially-minded chief executive espouses some very clear principles in our business planning:
- No passengers; be prepared for the tough decisions
- Showing responsible management in our operations and decisions
- Invest in a few real opportunities
- Sweat our assets
- Keep it simple and focus on what makes it happen
This means we can drive change quickly and bring staff and volunteers along with the plan. Because we have a flat structure, people are empowered to make decisions, take risks and give their input to the business development process. Continual change has become a fact of life. I call it a ‘Just Do It’ culture in which staff are encouraged to make it happen’, not write position papers.
You can read the full article here.
