I started working in fundraising about three years ago. Having moved from the corporate sector I had a vague idea that I wanted to make a difference and stop using my marketing and sales skills to make rich people richer and actually improve the world. It was all very worthy, and is still true. But last August… Read more »
Posts By: Jane Bardsley
Legally blonde
The result of corporate fundraising success is work; account management, operational involvement, marketing sign-off and PR engagement to name but a few; and then there’s my personal bugbear; contracts. While I love the marketing aspect of corporate fundraising, the brand alignment and the planning and implementation of great campaigns, I am no lawyer; and the… Read more »
Less is more in the cluttered world of corporate fundraising
For many voluntary organisations, the large charity of the year partnerships are inaccessible, whether it be a case of not meeting the criteria of national service delivery, focusing on the ‘wrong’ cause, or simply not having a broad enough appeal, or a big enough brand. This means that for a significant number of charities Tesco… Read more »
Managing great corporate expectations
My first ‘official’ foray into the charitable sector was a series of job interviews for corporate partnership positions. At each of these I was asked about how I would handle corporate volunteering requests. Responding that I would manage partners’ expectations sensitively, while trying to divert the potential partner towards a cash donation, I realised there… Read more »
Working in charities means we get to see the very best of people
So, earlier this month was my first ever Institute of Fundraising National Awards. Battersea Dogs & Cats Home was shortlisted for three awards, including best fundraising team, and we were hopeful of success. I’ve been to lots of awards ceremonies throughout my varied work career and realised that they are a good synopsis of the… Read more »
Fundraising is not for the faint hearted
My first job fresh out of university was selling classified advertising space for the Observer newspaper, which at the time was based on Battersea Bridge Road, around the corner from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home. There were around 30 of us in the classified team and we had to make 100 cold calls a day,… Read more »