The Million Pound Donors Report 2012 - University of Kent

we have a joint executives meeting when all the Boots and
Macmillan staff who are working on this project get
together. That’s a lot of directors in one room! We talk
about what’s happened so far, what’s coming up, and any
issues that need unblocking.
The fundraising was the easiest element to start with
because Boots colleagues were very happy to throw
themselves into it, and there’s a lot of tried and tested
methods for fundraising in workplaces. The models are
already there and both charities and companies have the
skills to make them work. But it takes longer to set up a
proper strategic partnership, that’s where there’s an
element of co-creation. In the same way as you would with
a major donor, you start by saying “what are we going to
achieve together?”
These kinds of partnerships mean the charity becomes part
of a company’s business solution, rather than just an
organisation they want to throw cash at. Gone are the days
when companies just chuck money at charities in return for
a photo call with their chief executive handing a cheque
over. Charities must offer more than positive PR these
days; they need to offer real business benefits. But that’s
not to say workplace fundraising is devoid of emotional
engagement. We don’t want to get to a point where it’s
about nothing but strategy because there’s a lot of fun,
creativity and team bonding involved in raising money for a
charity like Macmillan where the cause has touched a large
percentage of the staff in any company you go into. It’s
much harder for charities that don’t connect with the staff
base.
There’s a whole range of ways that we report to our funders
and demonstrate the impact of their support. We’re good at
data, so we have a lot of statistics to illustrate how much
money was raised, what we used it for, how many people
were helped and what it achieved. We also take supporters
to visit projects, like our new flagship building within
University College Hospital, so they get more than just
data – they can see and touch what their money is being
spent on. That’s very powerful, as is introducing our
funders to the people employed on our support line, in our
centres, hospitals or hospices. If a corporate partner meets
one of our frontline staff then they usually want to know
what more they can do to support that person.
Whatever the size of the donor and the size of their
donation, we always need to be able to demonstrate why
we needed that money and how we spent it.
the MIllIon PoUnd donors rePort 2012
I would advise corporate partners thinking about entering
partnerships to understand why they want to do it and to
realise that it’s ok to have a range of objectives. For
example, if you want to increase footfall in your store then
don’t feel you have to pretend it’s solely about making a
donation to the charity. If you want your staff or customers
to help raise money then give them some choice in
choosing the partners and make sure they are passionate
about it and feel they own it. People generally fundraise
more enthusiastically for charities they feel more strongly
affiliated with.
I would advise charities not to let size, geography or lack of
experience stop them approaching corporates, because
almost every charity can find a partner that will bring
mutual benefits. Smaller, local charities might feel at a
disadvantage compared to the bigger brand names, but
they actually have an advantage when it comes to pitching
to regionally based companies.
Remember to leverage your networks, because everyone is
an ambassador and could be in contact with your next big
corporate partner, so encourage key stakeholders –
including your staff, trustees and other donors - to be
proactive and respond to opportunities.
But the most important thing is to make sure the values of
the company align with your charity values, or it simply
won’t work out for either side.”
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