The Trustees Guide to Fundraising - Reach

The Trustees Guide to FundraisingTrustee ObligationsThe fundraising trusteeThere is much debate around how involvedtrustees should become with fundraising.Some trustees make donations, actively raisefunds and use their contacts to pull in favours.Others are more hands-off, feeling thatoveractive trustees can find themselvestreading on the toes of the very peopleemployed to do the job. Of course, in thecase of many small charities, trustees maybe the only people who can fundraise inthe organisation.At the least, you must ensure that yourcharity has invested sufficient resources inits fundraising capacity. Whether your charityemploys a dedicated fundraiser, works with aconsultant, engages volunteer fundraisers oreven if it is a case of all hands on deck, youneed to ensure that:■■■■■■All fundraising meets the best practicecriteria outlined within the Codes ofFundraising PracticeThe fundraising function is adequatelyresourced (both in terms of staffing levelsand budgets)All fundraisers are qualified and sufficientlytrained to do their jobAll fundraisers are abreast of the latestfundraising developments and techniques;attending relevant training courses,conferences and sector eventsClose attention is given to the recruitmentand retention of fundraising staff, includinga comprehensive annual appraisal systemRealistic fundraising budgets and targetsare set and met“Since becoming a trustee of the East Anglian Air Ambulance I have been involved in anumber of aspects of their fundraising work including its ‘Court of Benefactors’. This hasincluded introducing new members and hosting events on the Elveden Estate. To date, thisinitiative has raised more than £1m and given the trustees and management the confidencein the charity’s finances to bring a second air ambulance helicopter into service.”Lord Iveagh, Trustee, East Anglian Air Ambulance“The board of Trustees at TreeHouse are highly committed to fundraising. When our Directorof Fundraising recently presented an ambitious corporate fundraising strategy, the boardprobed her plans thoroughly and, once agreed, we allocated financial resource and offeredour own personal contacts to support corporate fundraising approaches. Already ourinvestment is providing an extraordinary return; the key ingredient of our success is thepartnership between expert fundraising staff who maximise every opportunity, and trusteesthat are willing to authorise investment and offer introductions.”Lord Clement-Jones, Chair, TreeHouseWhatever level of involvement youdecide upon, there are a number ofways in which you and your fellowtrustees can contribute to fundraisingsuccess. They include:■■■■■Sharing your address book with thecharity and helping raise funds fromthose contactsHosting an eventOffering your skills and expertise infinance, PR, law, governmentrelations, mentoring, developingbusiness plansMaking a donation yourself and,if you’re a taxpayer, donatingthrough Gift Aid or using the othertax reliefsHelping your charity obtain accessto local companies whoseemployees could contribute viaPayroll GivingHow the Institute of Fundraising can help■■■■■Ensure your organisation meets the UK’sbest practice standards for fundraising;the Institute of Fundraising’s Codes ofFundraising PracticeDemonstrate your commitment to the Codesby becoming an Organisational member ofthe Institute of FundraisingGet your fundraisers up to speed with thelatest fundraising techniques, byencouraging them to attend training coursesand events. The Institute’s ProfessionalDevelopment department can also helpguide you through the qualifications andshort courses availableMany trustees attend the Institute’s one-dayconferences to gain a better understandingof fundraising techniques anddevelopments, why not join them?Find out how your organisation could makebest use of tax reliefs■Keeping abreast of changes inexternal funding sourcesFor more information, visitwww.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk67