Fundraising, Research & Consultancy Ltd

Case History One

A National environmental charity researching and campaigning for major change, asked us to see if it would be possible to raise major gifts for their work. An earlier initiative in this area had dwindled to nothing as staff moved on.

Our first audit of existing high value donors identified an excellent number of rich and well connected individuals (particularly in respect to trusts).

Using a draft case for support assembled by the fundraising team that needed much further work, we started to engage Directors, Trustees and key campaigners who we needed to get on board for the major gift work to be a success.

Induction, ongoing communication and the involvement in early first wins were key to developing the successful major donor development programme that is now in place.

The charity is now raising substantial new money, increasing gifts and developing strong and personal relationships with existing donors.

The programme incorporates a range of approaches from face to face to a very personalised high value mailing programme.

Case History Two

Over five years ago, a major National charity primarily concerned with third world development, asked us to help them establish a major donor development programme. Income, up until that point, had been secured almost entirely from direct marketing.

A full research audit was undertaken. A programme, incorporating major individuals and major trusts, was put in place. A new post was created and the Director and key staff were inducted. Budgets were set for a four-year period. The programme progressed with research mini audits feeding in new people to the programme on a yearly basis. In the last year the budget was extraordinarily exceeded and the biggest single gift to date was made to the charity. A new five-year plan has been put in place with increased personal commitments from senior staff and Trustees, together with uplifted budgetary commitment to the programme. The charity received an ICFM award in 1998 for part of its major donor development work.