The size of your organisation is less important than you might think, write Specialist Members Linda Garnett and Sharon Dann.

Communications Specialist Julie Weldon offers some top tips on how to find out what people are saying about you.  Let’s face it – people talk. And if you’re doing good work, you want them to be talking about you. But you also need to know if they are less than complimentary.

An honest discussion about performance expectations can be a positive and rewarding experience and an important part of personal and professional growth, writes Benefolk specialist member Leanne Hart.

Benefolk specialist member Elaine Hendrick shares some reflections to help strengthen outcomes measurement in your organisation.

At a time when competition for funding is at its greatest possible level, most social purpose sector organisations are struggling to gain their competitive edge. 

A brand transformation project by Benefolk specialists is giving this Victorian organisation a new lease on all fronts, especially fundraising and partnerships. When the then Macpherson Smith Rural Foundation (now Youthrive Victoria) undertook an extensive strategic review in 2017, the last thing on the group’s mind was a rebrand.

The roller coaster of new markets. Many organisations fail because they focus on what they want to be and forget who they are. They assume markets perceive them in the golden light they see reflected in the mirror, when in fact they may be invisible.

We have all been there!

Months of research and planning. Strategising down to the finest detail. Where the meeting will take place. Who will be there to ask. How much we will ask for and how it will be used.

Some years ago, I was chatting with a valued supporter of medical research. I asked her what her reasons for giving were, and I am sure you have heard similar stories. 

I don’t want others to suffer as my loved one suffered… 
I want others to have the opportunities I had… 
This cause is important to me… 

Before we move into specifics, let’s talk about why we want engaged donors.

After all, they are a lot more work, and everyone is pretty stretched for time as it is. We want them because once they are engaged, they are likely to be with you for the long haul.

What does a business really want from me? That’s the million-dollar question for most charities – right up there with ‘is there free food in the kitchen?’ and ‘who stole all the forks?’