#iofnc, what's it all about?

Well, the IOF National Convention is upon us. Or #iofnc as it's more commonly known by the fundraising twitterati.

And isn't it exciting! Three whole days where we get to learn, debate, talk, network and make new friends (as well as catching up with old ones). It's at times like this that I'm very proud to be a fundraiser.

I have the privilege of being on the Convention Board, so I get to help shape the content and form of the sessions  - so this post is a plea for feedback as much as anything else.

Be like @JamesBarker82 who wanted to hear more about digital content - so he put his money where his mouth is and volunteered to speak. And 'What fundraisers can learn from rappers,' was a great, informative and interesting session. Don't believe me? Check out #iofnc...

Wondering why there always seems to be a proliferation of middle-aged men talking about direct mail? Don't want to hear from the 'old guard'? Do what Battersea did and - send some of their fundraising 'guru's' to talk about why direct mail is far from dead. Real fundraisers, talking about their real-life every day fundraising. How revolutionary. And the room was packed.

Heard so much about 'innovation' over the recent years that you feel like your ears might bleed? Get the team together and prove how it can be done, on a small budget. Just like Terrence Higgins Trust did on Monday afternoon.

I've got some ideas for next year, but would love to hear yours. PLEASE do let me/us know what you'd like to see/hear about.

Leave a comment, or find me @roxymartinique

Danielle Atkinson

Looking ahead to IOF National Convention 2014

With 4 weeks to go until this year’s IOF National Convention, I asked some fellow fundraisers to join me in reflecting on their top memories and best bits from their previous convention experiences, to help us start looking forward to what we can expect this year.

The sessions

Let’s face it, you won’t come away from every session armed with a stash of insights you can directly apply to your work.  But with the right approach to choosing sessions and an open mind, there are absolute gemstones of useful info to be found.  

Danielle reflects on a session she saw at her very first convention, ’20 top tips to developing a successful career in fundraising’ by Alan Gosschalk.  “I still have the notes and slides. And I share it with every member of my team. It really resonated with me and I listened and adopted things he talked about”.   

And both Danielle and I have strong memories of last year’s session on personal resilience run by Sarah Lane, with Toni Learey and Jane Bardsley.  It was a fantastically personal session which delivered a huge amount in terms of things to take away and think about – and, perhaps unusually, use in everyday life, not just the workplace.  There are over 130 sessions to choose from this year, and I can’t wait to see which sessions everyone ends up talking about! 

The career development opportunities

It’s always fantastic if you have time at Convention to attend something that’s outside of your specialism.  Sessions on personal development, lunchtime sessions – all of these offer a wealth of insight that can help you in your current role and to move on to your next.   

Sara attended a Guardian Jobs session about what Chief Execs are looking for in Directors of Fundraising.  Whilst this is still a little way off her next job level, “some of the things said there gave me real insight into what the career ladder looks like, and the sorts of skills I should be looking to develop.” 

Whilst you may be perfectly happy in your current role right now, there’s no harm in looking at how you can grow and develop, and having one eye on how you might make that next step.   

The networking

Let’s face it, most of us cringe when we hear the word “networking”.  The contributor who told me she recalls hiding under a table with colleagues to avoid the networking will remain anonymous to protect the innocent! 

But if we call it instead “chatting to shedloads of likeminded individuals and making new friends in the sector” it doesn’t sound half as scary.   

Danielle says that she has gone “from hating it to loving it - it’s great to catch up with so many fundraising friends, and make new ones.”   

Convention is simply one of the best opportunities to do this, and to meet fundraising peers of all levels.  Over 2,500 fundraising professionals under one roof and willing to chat.  Definitely something to make the most of – you never know, you might meet your next boss too!

The awards

Last year a campaign that I had worked on was shortlisted for one of the awards and I was beyond delighted when our name was called out!  For me it was a fantastic moment and one that will stay with me.   

Danielle trumps that though – with Merlin she and her team won a stonking four awards in four years – “a highlight to have our work and results recognised by our peers.”  

Awards night, though, is about so much more than winning (though, yes, the winning is AWESOME!) – it’s a brilliant celebration of successes from across the sector.  It’s so inspiring to hear about all the amazing work that makes the shortlists, and the ones recognising individual commitment to the sector in particular always draw standing ovations and usually tears too.  It’s a joyful night to be a part of. 

The volunteering opportunities

Those committed individuals who give up their time to ensure that Convention runs smoothly are absolutely fundamental to its success year on year.  It can be a great way for individuals who wouldn’t be able to go otherwise to attend.   

And the experience is overwhelmingly positive, by all accounts.  Lianne recalls the “great sense of achievement being involved in making something so huge happen” and Sara talks about “the amazing sense of teamwork and camaraderie I got from being a volunteer."  

  

The Convention Twittersphere

Twitter takes on a life of its own at Convention.  Though you can’t go to every session, rest assured SOMEONE will be tweeting nuggets.  In years when I have not been able to attend it’s been fantastic to get a sense of what’s going on.  Danielle’s a massive fan: “I love the twitter community, and at Convention time it really comes into its own.”

Great to hear about other people’s memories.  I’m starting to get really excited about what this year’s Convention will bring!  If you have any other standouts from your Convention experiences do drop me a line in the comments section below.

Lisa Clavering

Supporter Retention Manager at Breakthrough Breast Cancer

@LisaClavering

Thank you to: Danielle Atkinson, Head of Public Fundraising at Breast Cancer Campaign (@roxymartinique); Sara Thomas, Area Development Manager (North) at Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research (@lirazelf); Lianne Howard-Dace, Community and Events Fundraising Manager at RLSB (@LianneHD)

Becoming an IOF Trustee - third time lucky!

This is the third time in a row I have put myself forward to be a Trustee of the Institute of Fundraising (IOF). 

Third time lucky hopefully :-)

So why have I decided to stand again, despite being unsuccessful for the last two years? Here are a few reasons.

-         I really am passionate about fundraising and to its development through the IOF. Standing again proves my commitment to this. I’m not in it for the glory, or for having this on my CV. I want to shape the future of fundraising and the future of fundraisers.  I do believe in developing the profession of fundraising and ourselves as fundraisers. 

I     I want to be a new face on the Board and really feel I can offer the engagement and representation that fundraisers across the sector need, and demand. I am a fundraiser – I do it, day in and day out. 

-          As I said in my nomination, all too often I talk to fundraisers who are frustrated by a lack of representation of people like them. People like me. I agree. By putting myself forward as a Trustee at the IOF I can assure you that I will listen and champion ideas on how fundraising should, and could, be developed.

-          I am not afraid to challenge or debate, and will fight for what I believe. If you want someone who will stand up and stand behind what they say, then I will do that. If that means ruffling a few feathers on the way – then so be it. Anyone who knows me will know that I will always push the Institute to work hard to deliver what is best for us as fundraisers, in terms of policy, training and advocacy.

So just a few thoughts. If I’m not successful, I’ll probably stand again. This is important and is not something I take lightly.

Thank you

Danielle Atkinson

@roxymartinique

Head of Public Fundraising at Breast Cancer Campaign

My personal picks for the 2014 National Convention

I blogged a while ago about what the National Convention means to me. In a nutshell, what can I learn that’s new. This year I’m focusing on the Personal Effectiveness and Bigger Picture streams, although I might stray :-)

So, what are the sessions I’m particularly looking forward to?

My first pick on day one – Monday 7 July – is Talking talent – the key to success.

Liz Tait and Sarah Lane presenting an interactive session on talent management. What’s not to love? I make no secret of my admiration for Liz, and Sarah co-ran what was, for me, the best session of the whole Convention in 2013.

Liz Tait has developed hugely successful – and motivated – teams over the years. The fundraising team at Battersea is one to be admired, watched and feared (in the best way possible). Sarah’s joint session last year on personal resilience was, simply, brilliant. Incredibly useful, personal, and full of take-aways I am still using.

If anything can stop me going to watch the Tour de France it’s this session.

And following on from this, how can I resist learning how to Become a Derren Brown of Fundraising.

I am truly intrigued by this session. Although I have visions of becoming a master manipulator of everyone I meet and taking over the whole fundraising world (*stifles an evil laugh here*), I really do want to know what this session is all about. It’s a wild card – but I’m bound to learn something. Which is why I’ll be queuing outside the room early to get a seat.

If I get invited to the National Awards on the Monday night (massive hint), I’ll have to choose Tuesday carefully. Something that won’t rock my inevitable sore head. (If I’m not, then I’ll be filled to the brim of fundraising beans).

Either way, I’m a bit torn for the 11am slot on day two. Two good sessions here pitted against each other. Number one is How PR can transform your results: Bestpractice case studies from the commercial world.

Hearing from outside the sector is always useful. We can be quite mired in a ‘them and us’ mindset, and even if the budgets involved are way beyond our reach this is no reason to ignore the case studies and the learnings.

The second session is an old favourite, Mr Bernard Ross. This session is about Emotional Intelligence in Fundraising: how to improve results by developing EI as a coreskill. Nobody does this sort of thing better than Bernard. Emotional Intelligence is the ability to identify, assess, and control the emotions of oneself, of others, and of groups. We fundraisers are a passionate bunch and stating that emotionally intelligent individuals are more likely to succeed professionally and personally has to be a reason to go to this session.

I suspect it might come down to a coin-toss as to which I attend.

From 3pm I’ll be part of the Convention Career Advice Clinic. So do book in with me if you think I’ve anything to offer you (I promise I’ll try to be interesting, useful and maybe even a little bit inspiring).

Wednesday sees day three and the sadness that is the last day. What will I be going to? First stop is Eight Great Global Arts Fundraising Ideas. An area of fundraising historically underrepresented at the Convention. An area about which I, to my shame, know little about. And as it’s all about learning new things, this is where I’ll be headed at 3pm.

And to finish the Convention I’m going to a session that might infuriate me as much as inspire me: David vs Goliath. Having recently had a discussion with someone from a well-known large charity after they stated “there is nothing we can learn from small charities,” I’m hoping there will be time for questions and debate in this session. After all, that’s always a good way to end three days of fundraising immersion.

There are, of course, many many more fantastic sessions (I might even blog about these), but these are my personal ‘must-attend’ picks. I’ll be at others. I might even see some of you at them. Make sure you say hi!

Danielle Atkinson

@roxymartinique

Some musings on the Daily Mirror front page

Today, this was the Daily Mirror front page.

It could be a press ad for a charity. It’s strong, emotive and unflinching

But, it turns out that this is a photo from 2009. What’s more, it’s a US child. Crying because an earthworm wriggled away.

Opinion is torn. Is the Daily Mirror wrong to do this? Use an image that isn’t true to the situation?

The first reactions I saw on twitter were horror that this was the situation for children in the UK. Then praise for the Daily Mirror on the power of the front page.

Then a couple of tweets about the photo and where it came from. Then a few more tweets about this. Then the tweets where people stated they didn’t care that the photo wasn’t real, because the situation was.

I immediately thought about the charity sector and fundraising. As I often do.

I’ve been privileged enough to work as a fundraiser in the international development sector for almost ten years. I’ve witnessed the constant turmoil about images, authenticity, truth – the list is endless. I’ve heard the phrase poverty porn. I’ve blogged about the phrase poverty porn.

And I can’t help but question the response had the Daily Mirror been a front page of a child, facing extreme poverty in a country like the Democratic Republic of Congo? One of the poorest countries in the world, where children face horrors that I can’t even begin to think about.

And they used a photo of a child from a different country? A different year? A different situation? Somehow I think the reaction would be different.

And if an international development charity did this? I could almost write the headlines:

“International fat cat charities bamboozle public”

“Fury over lying photo”

“Spiralling web of lies at well-known organisations”

This is an interesting comment piece from The Guardian: "Perhaps it doesn't matter if the Daily Mirror's weeping child is a lie."
 

I have no answers, just questions and some musings. It made me think though. Never a bad thing.

Danielle Atkinson

@roxymartinique

Be better, happier and more productive

I’ve had a few conversations with people recently, and the ‘blame’ word has popped up.

If there is one word that is guaranteed to get me riled, it’s this one. It has no place in the work environment. It creates tension, anger and breaks down relationships.

Take this scenario. You have a disgruntled supporter, they’ve been given incorrect information, and they’re getting more disgruntled. Someone is trying to sort this out and make them happy again. Then they ask ‘who can we blame for this?’ Not the supporter asking, the person trying to resolve the issue.

And I ask – really? You want to blame someone? Someone internally? So, you can feel better about a mistake you have made. The supporter doesn’t care. Just get on with sorting out the issue, making it better and making them happy.

I can guarantee you’ll feel better about the fact you’ve found a solution rather than creating a problem. You’ve achieved what you’re meant to do without the toxicity of blaming someone else. And the supporter will be happy too.

Then I remembered reading this – 18 things mentally strong people do:

 

It’s not always easy but apply this to your work life and you’ll be better, happier and more productive.

Go on, try it. Who else can you 'blame' but yourself if you don’t?

Danielle Atkinson

@roxymartinique

Five things I love in fundraising*

*at the moment

So, it has come to our attention in Charity Chicks towers that our most popular blog post is '10 things I hate about fundraising.' It was actually only five in the end, 10 was too many to come up with.

It was written last year when dreaded phrases like ‘period of consultation’ and ‘transition’ were being thrown round. However that was then - and this is now. 

I am currently settled in a new job, working for an awesome charity, seeing exciting and great fundraising all through the sector. So I thought perhaps it was time to write a blog called ‘Five things I love about fundraising’ (lessons learned from last year – 10 is too many).

And then, last month, something strange and incredible happened. So I decided to write a blog called ‘Five things I love in fundraising at the moment.’ 

 

1. #nomakeupselfies – wow – Where on earth did that come from? Well interestingly, not a charity! However Cancer Research UK raised £1 million in a day (and £8 million in total!!!).

Breast Cancer Campaign also saw a spike in donations and the most hits to its website in a day ever. There have been lots of blogs written about it since, but this one from Lisa Clavering is worth a read for the inside track. 

But how inspiring to see - not women without their make up on, that’s no big deal - but the public taking something and running with it.

I must admit when I first saw someone do a make up free selfie and put #cancerawareness I cynically rolled my eyes and asked 'how does that raise awareness?'. 

Then I saw more people do it and start putting instructions on how to donate. Then I it raised £1 million and I started to eat my words. Then I saw this on Breast Cancer Care’s Facebook page and the comments totally made me tear up, take my own selfie and text a donation. 

2. This from UNICEF USA is awesome, but only look at it on your mobile http://tap.unicefusa.org/ (I lasted 27 minutes. Not sure that is anything to feel proud about). 

3. Not strictly ‘at the moment’ - and more awareness than fundraising,  but Shelter is great on Buzzfeed

4. Not all donors give money – some give blood. And a couple of Friday’s ago I was greeted by the blood donors take over of Kings Cross station – great food for thought for where street fundraising can go. 

And much needed, as shockingly only 4% of the UK are active blood donors. As we well know, a face to face conversation is a great (the best??) way to get new donors. If you can, do click here and sign up. 

 

5. And finally………..this is a controversial one that has split the sector. 

I wouldn’t say I love it. In fact I am not even sure if I like it. But I do know I took notice in an incredibly crowded area of fundraising. 

And I kind of get it. I get the point they are making and I get where the lady in the advert is coming from. 

Is it upsetting to people who have lost someone to breast cancer? Undoubtedly. 

Is it insulting to the 1,000 women who lose their life every month  to the awful disease that is breast cancer? I imagine so.

But isn’t also shocking that survival rates in pancreatic cancer have barely moved in 20 years? Would it have got anywhere near the level of attention had they not gone for something so shocking? 

And don’t we argue in international sector that sometimes you have to shock? That its not 'poverty porn', it’s reality.

The young lady very sadly died in February but she stood by the advert and meant what she said. Is this not just her reality?     



Kathryn Brooke
@ethicalchalleng 
 

To give to Pancreatic Cancer Action click here

To give to Breast Cancer Campaign click here

To give to Breast Cancer Care click here