smART talk weekly digest | 19-25 April

Philanthropy: Getting Enough?  A weekly digest from the online forum on philanthropy and funding, with special guest Margaret Belich.

Topics include how to put together a solid case for fundraising, the principles of good fundraising, tools and techniques, research on philanthropic giving,  who is responsible for fundraising and the Cultural Philanthropy Taskforce.

The forum closes on April 30 - so join in now to share your stories, questions and challenges about the art of fundraising in New Zealand's arts and cultural sector.

Topic One | Arts Fundraising

Getting started: Putting together a solid case for fundraising

Margaret Belich said your fundraising case is at the heart of everything you do but bigger than you or your organization’s need. The case is a wider set of resources which will cumulatively represent your cause and mission, where you want to go and why, how you are going to get there, how you are organized to get there, who is in charge, who’s on the job (paid or volunteering) to deliver, where you work or your facilities, how you plan or measure your outcomes and where you come from (your history) and your connections/communities.

“You will pull together and distil this information into many forms throughout your fundraising and each time, if the conversation is good and listening is happening, you’ll build your case.”

Margaret outlined some key questions to ask yourself when pulling together case material and gave some examples of ‘nice expressions of case’.

The principles of good fundraising

Ask yourself if you are ready to go fundraising:

Is my cause understandable? Who do I know or might get to know better who would ‘get’ or share a passion for what I do? Do I know why I need the resources I am going to ask for? Have I engaged with the people who might help me find those resources? Do they feel empowered to be part of the cause, because the case is compelling and they trust the need will be met?  Have I made it easy for them to donate and have I made it totally clear how and what their gift will be used for. Lastly, have I thanked them heaps and am I ready to nurture and support their engagement?

Research on philanthropic giving in New Zealand

Margaret said the research picture for philanthropy in New Zealand is looking a lot better than it was 10 years ago.

The Ministry for Culture and Heritage has just released a research report Cultural Organisations: Giving and Sponsorship.   Links were also provided to Philanthropy New Zealand, Giving New Zealand, Office of the Community and Voluntary Sector and the Fundraising Institute of New Zealand (FINZ).

Responsibility for fundraising

Margaret said fundraising is a process with the potential to reach quite different places. What it isn’t is just about asking for the money. Which makes the question of responsibility a little more complex.
Read the comments from forum members and Margaret Belich.

Other questions about Arts Fundraising included the difference between sponsorship and philanthropy and how much to pay fundraisers.

Ask a Question: Ask your question about arts fundraising.
Share: Your ideas, examples and views.
Join this forum topic.

Topic Two | Attracting Philanthropy

Tools and Techniques

Forum members shared their tools, including ways of capturing detailed information about your donors centrally, and ideas for fundraising including special events.

Margaret said special events are like any other fundraising vehicle you choose.

“Make sure you know why you are doing it. It needs to deliver on those fundraising fundamentals - that the right people are being asked for the right gift at the right time by the right people etc.”

Ask a Question: Ask a question about fundraising tools and techniques.
Share: What tools can you recommend. What ideas have worked for you?
Join this forum topic.

Topic Three | Working With Fundraisers

Margaret Belich said one of the interesting bits of research that’s emerging from the NZ not-for-profit sector’s efforts to get to know itself a little better is the way New Zealanders have organized themselves for sport, recreation and culture in this country. Putting it simply, there are high levels of volunteering, without which undoubtedly, the sector would look a whole lot smaller.

Ask a Question: What would you like to know about working with fundraisers?
Share: What is the role and potential of volunteers in your organizations?
Join this forum topic.

Topic Four | Cultural Philanthropy Taskforce

The Cultural Philanthropy Taskforce brief is to look at ways to enhance philanthropy in the arts and cultural sector.

Margaret Belich: We’re looking at some of the big levers – the fiscal, legal and cultural environments,  the interesting questions around the culture of giving here compared with elsewhere, for example. We’re looking at social and institutional trends and research.

What will work to support arts philanthropy?  Is it about simplifying or extending or better communicating government policy?  Is it about finding better ways to lift the awareness of the impact of arts and cultural sector and does this change the confidence people have giving to the arts?  What about on the “supply side” – should it be that organizations have a better chance at becoming good fundraisers, being more attractive to philanthropists?

Ask a Question: About growing philanthropy in the arts sector in NZ.
Share: Your ideas, research, success stories and international examples.
Join this forum topic
 
smART talk 03 | Philanthropy: Getting Enough?
The last of the Creative New Zealand and The Big Idea - Te Aria Nui’s online smART talk forums is aimed at those who want to learn more about fundraising and philanthropy.

As well as sharing their experiences - good and bad - those participating will also able to seek advice from respected member of the arts community, fundraising expert, and member of the new Cultural Philanthropy Taskforce, Margaret Belich. 

Join the forum from 12-30 April to share your stories, questions and challenges about the ‘art of fundraising’ in New Zealand's arts and cultural sector.