Resources for Developing Strategy and Improving Technique

Signposts to resources for developing strategy and improving fundraising techniques.

This section signposts to resources available to voluntary and community organisations for developing a fundraising strategy and improving their fundraising techniques.

Standards and Codes
Materials and Advice
Training
Forums
Bid Writing
Statistics

National Occupational Standards for Fundraising

The Workforce Hub has developed the National Occupational Standards for Fundraising . The standards are aimed at those who raise funds and resources - both paid and unpaid, giving a framework in which to demonstrate and enhance fundraising skills.

Codes of Fundraising Practice

The Codes of Fundraising Practice are produced by the Institute of Fundraising and represent the standards set for fundraisers in the UK. The codes provide not only information on areas of the law and guidance on the various techniques themselves but also the best practice that the fundraising sector has set itself to ensure the highest standards.

Self-regulation of fundraising

The Fundraising Standards Board (FSB) has been set up as an independent body, with representatives from the charity sector, consumer bodies, and independent lay members representing the public interest.

Self-regulation is an independent, opt-in regulatory scheme that is accessible to all charitable fundraising organisations. For an annual sliding fee, participating charities will be able to display a quality mark, to show that they are committed to best practice in fundraising, so that donors can give with confidence.

Those signing up will be required to meet the UK's best practice standards for fundraising; the Institute of Fundraising's Codes of Fundraising Practice and Donors' Charter and the FSB will provide toolkits and an independent complaints procedure.

The Public Fundraising Regulatory Association is the self-regulatory body which has been set up specifically for 'face to face' fundraising. The Public Fundraising Regulatory Association covers public charitable collections conducted both house-to-house and in the street and extends to direct debit solicitation.

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Fundraising Materials and Advice

The Directory of Social Change provide funding information, written materials and training events on fundraising technique. The Complete Fundraising Handbook' and 'Find the Funds' are widely considered good value and it's well worth ordering their quarterly and free training and publications listings.
The Charities Commission booklet CC20 'Charities and Fundraising' contains general advice on effective fundraising an explanation of the legal responsibilities in relation to fundraising and information about the tax implications of fundraising. Their booklet CC60 'The Hallmarks of a Well-Run Charity' also includes fundraising advice.
The Institute of Fundraising offers a range of resources, including information on tax effective giving and fundraising activities and strategy.
Funding Neighbourhood Learning - A guide for small voluntary and community groups is a publication available to buy from the The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education. It offers step-by-step advice on planning and writing funding applications as well as preparing longer-term approaches to fundraising. Offering an introduction to the range of policy initiatives that influence the funding of neighbourhood learning, it covers the major statutory sources and key grant-making trusts and includes checklists and advice.
'Granting You the Money - A Guide to Securing Grant Funding' is a toolkit published online by the Lewis Clare Partnership.Based on their experience as grant appraisers, the toolkit aims to help organisations avoid common pitfalls and optimise their chances of securing the funding they want. The guide is the latest in a series of free guides from the Partnership and other titles include 'Surfing the Grants Process - using the Web to increase efficiency and effectiveness' and 'Open SESAME - a guide to setting up a new grant scheme'.
A funding guide for community groups has been produced by West Norfolk CVS called 'A Workbook for Workers in Community Groups and Voluntary Organisations'. It includes worksheets, model letters, and templates. It costs £3.60 per hard copy, including postage & packing, or £10 per emailed copy for Funding Advisors/Development Workers who may wish to cut and paste the document for local needs. For more information contact Alan Crawshaw on 01553 760568 or e-mail alan@westnorfolkcvs.co.uk.
ACEVO's Guide to Preparing Successful Funding Applications covers, for a wide audience, the disciplines involved in researching and drafting effective applications to trusts, Lottery and statutory sources. It can now be downloaded from the ACEVO website for £10 for ACEVO members and £12.50 for non-members.
'A slice of the cake' is a sustainable funding resource from the Growing Up in the West Midlands Strategic Forum. It is aimed at small groups who may have ideas for things they want to do, or are already doing, but are not sure how to get the money and help they need. It is available to download in sections or to purchase in hardcopy by contacting info@growingupinthewestmidlands.info.

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Fundraising Courses and Training

The Institute of Fundraising run a variety of courses throughout the year aimed at developing skills and good practice.

Certified Fundraising Executive Certificate (CFEC) for fundraising professionals is now available in the UK, through The Association of Fundraising Consultants.

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Fundraising Forums

UK Fundraising Forum is a free web-based discussion list which enables fundraisers to share advice and information on-line. You can view old postings by searching the archive, or can respond to recent additions.

Fundraising 'Frequently Asked Questions' are answered at the Institute of Fundraising.

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Writing Funding Bids

A basic layout of a funding bid, which is useful if you haven't written a funding bid before, is suggested at Funders on Line website.

A free copywriting guide to help fundraisers is offered by direct marketing creative agency Flying Kite, available to read or download from their website.
How to improve your fundraising letter in ten simple steps has been written for people within voluntary and community organisations who are involved in writing or critiquing fundraising letters.

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Statistics

Neighbourhood statistics from the Office of National Statistics.
This site carries an impressive range of socio-economic and demgraphic statistics from ward up to regional level. This is probably of particular relevance to community-based projects and organisations on the look out for supporting information for funding bids.

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