CommUNITY Barnet
Strategy & Bid Writing
The Brief:
Community organisations of all sizes have seen significant and swift cuts to their public sector funding over the last few years. Fundraising, previously unnecessary thanks to grants from a range of local, regional and national bodies, has become vital to ensure survival in the new funding landscape. And this is a skill that CommUNITY Barnet identified as lacking amongst their beneficiaries.
Action Taken:
As a result, they approached Money Tree Fundraising in late 2013 to help local organisations find more fundraising opportunities and get more focused and effective fundraising skills. The coaching service was developed, funded by City Bridge Trust. The scheme offered local community groups one-to-one fundraising coaching, tailor made to their objectives at the subsidised rate of just £35, which bought up to six 50-minute coaching sessions to help organisations achieve their particular aim.
Difference Made:
“After only one session I think that it may be the best £35 this year. The coach’s knowledge and insight were very helpful as he reviewed some recent unsuccessful funding applications that I presented.”
Jim Ball, Stonegrove Estates – Youth Project
This was not about theory, this was about practical support; it was not about doing fundraising on an organisation’s behalf, this was about giving each organisation the skills to achieve their own fundraising objectives and support their programmes in the long term.
Over the nine-month programme, the team worked with 52 organisations, ranging from large to small.
Results:
To-date three Barnet charities have between them raised £127,500, each crediting Money Tree Fundraising’s input as significant in helping them reach their financial goals.
The Hoffman Foundation for Autism used their sessions to help them to win £7,500 to use for a programme of touch screen technology for their service users who have been diagnosed with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome.
“The coach’s expert feedback was invaluable! He was quickly able to tell us what the reader of the fundraising application would be looking for and was able to give constructive advice and insight into gaining a positive result. We certainly came away from the first surgery feeling very confident and positive in chasing after that sometimes elusive ‘Pot of Gold’.”
Frances Pestano, Hoffmann Foundation for Autism
Community Barnet worked with Money Tree Fundraising to implement a new “fundraising coaching service” for small charities in Barnet, North London. Beth supplied us with an expert and experienced fundraiser who was always flexible, professional, knowledgeable and kind. All the charities worked with reported that they felt they had gained key fundraising skills and they had significantly more confidence in their fundraising practice. At time of writing, three Barnet charities have between them raised £127,500 and all felt that Money Tree Fundraising’s input had been significant in helping them reach their financial goals.
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