Development

Testing times

There will be few independent schools that are not facing the future with anything other than considerable unease. Mark Jefferies advises to use this time to plan future fundraising campaigns

One of the biggest threats of this recession is the uncertainty about what is likely to happen because it sends us all into a state of paralysis. When others are hesitating is the time for those of courage to proceed, albeit with degrees of caution.

Over the past four decades, there have been four recessions (or economic crises), beginning with the run up to devaluation in 1967. In the mid-1970s, we faced stagflation, when inflation rose along with unemployment and spiralling government debt; in the early 1980s, we had a more orthodox recession accompanied by structural
reform; and, in the early 1990s, we had a recession largely driven by negative equity. Now we have the fifth
economic crisis, a banking crisis.

Through all the previous crises it has been possible to run successful capital fundraising campaigns. If a cause is
powerful enough and relationships with potential donors sufficiently strong, then it is possible to run a highly
successful campaign.

Now is the time
Schools have particular needs as and when they arise, regardless of what the economic climate is like. The logical
time to be fundraising is when you have a particular need that only voluntary fundraising can help you address.
The fact that there is less disposable income does not necessarily mean people will give less generously. Indeed,
research commissioned by the Church Times indicates that a third of churchgoers intend to give more to charity in
2009 and only two per cent expect to give less.

That is not to suggest that fundraising at the present time will be easy (not that it ever is). It will be important to ensure that the criteria for successful fundraising – a convincing case, a properly costed and realistic financial
need, a potential constituency of support and high-calibre financial and voluntary leadership – are in place. It will
be important to adopt a phased, flexible, success-based approach, where one does not move from one phase
to the next until the objectives for each phase have been achieved. This may mean that it takes longer than
anticipated to conduct a campaign, but it will minimise the risk of failure.

An organisation only really finds out what its friends and supporters think of it is when it asks them for money.
Approaching them now will be a test of how strong the relationship with them actually is, because fundraising is the manifestation of goodwill in a financial context.

Think it through
Too many organisations, including schools, embark on fundraising without having thought through what they want the money for (and why it cannot be raised from other sources), who they expect the support to come from and, most importantly, why those people might want to give their support.

Now is the time to be developing plans, building relationships and identifying and nurturing voluntary and financial leadership. One thing is certain, this recession is not going to diminish the need for schools to raise additional finance. There will no doubt be a few schools which, having previously decided to embark on fundraising, have put all their plans on hold until the economy improves. If that is the only reason for delay in embarking on what is presumably a high priority, then they should answer three questions:
• how long will you have to wait until things get better?
• what will you do in the meantime? and
• how will you differentiate your cause from all the other deserving causes that will suddenly materialise when the
downturn is deemed to be over?

If you are not yet ready to fundraise, but intend to do so, use the time now to prepare and plan. If you are ready to
fundraise and you believe that the criteria for successful fundraising are already in place, then seize the moment.

Mark Jefferies is managing director of the fundraising and marketing consultancy Craigmyle. Mark can be contacted on 01582 762441 or via mark@craigmyle.org.uk

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