E242 - Increasing the capacity and confidence of fundraisers with Dr Beth Breeze

"…Ensuring fundraisers have the confidence to know its ok to ask… the confidence to know that generosity and giving is normal...” - Dr Beth Breeze

We spoke with Dr Beth Breeze, Director of the Centre for Philanthropy at the University of Kent, to talk about increasing the capacity and confidence of fundraisers through education. In this episode, we explore the importance of development in fundraising; why we should continue to push for the professionalisation of the industry; and, what leaders can do to support and enable their fundraisers.

1. Hidden in plain sight

Can you go a day without benefitting from charity in some way? Think of all the policy decisions that have come before that were influenced by the charity sector, any service you interact with that has some element funded by charitable giving. In the UK, charity is intrinsically linked to so many facets of our society. Keeping this front of you mind will help you to understand just how normalised giving is.

2. The professionalisation of fundraising

There can be a fear that a professionalisation of an industry can lead to a level of exclusivity that fundraising wouldn’t want to be a part of. However, profession can be viewed as a shared ethic and shared knowledge and these traits can often be found amongst fundraisers. We’ve moved so far in the last decade and the continuing professionalisation of fundraising will ensure that fundraisers have a “voice at the table” where big decisions are being made.

3. Good news for leaders

There is not a shortage of donors, but instead, there is a shortage of confident and skilled fundraisers who feel fully supporter in their roles. This is a problem that can be tackled directly and lead to income growth. On a practical level, the sector needs leaders that are willing to invest through development budgets for formal training but also continue to boost morale by not making fundraisers to feel that they are a “necessary evil” within the organisation.

Dr Breeze’s publications can be found here https://www.kent.ac.uk/social-policy-sociology-social-research/people/564/breeze-beth#publications

This episode of Charity Chat has been brought to you by our platinum sponsor Work for Good. Work for Good believes everyone should be able to turn the work they do into good. Through their fundraising platform, they offer charities a way to engage and work with small businesses, including founders, owners and sole traders who want to make an impact for charities through their sales. To find out more, please visit workforgood.co.uk.

We hope you enjoy this week’s episode.