Total Fundraising

In the 70’s the Dutch football team introduced a new way of playing football. Total Football enabled players to move out of their usual position to seize an opportunity.

I think the time is right for Total Fundraising – taking people out of their natural position. Here are three ways to apply it.

Everyone is a fundraiser

People love to meet and hear from staff who don’t have fundraising in their job title. So all staff need to understand fundraising and how they can play a key role in developing relationships and engaging support. To do this you need to give non-fundraising staff confidence to play their part and permission to communicate  their passion (such as blogging, tweeting etc).

Be a hybrid fundraiser

Fundraising staff need to understand all the ways they can maximise an opportunity. Increasingly you can’t silo people as ‘regular givers’ or ‘major donors’. In this networked world chances are there are multiple ways someone can help you, but if you put them in a box that’s where they will stay.

The fundraiser is dead – long live the fundraiser

This is perhaps the most exciting opportunity. Think of supporters as fundraisers, like you, not donors. I don’t mean organising community fundraising or doing a sponsored event. I mean helping to recruit donors, opening doors to funding sources, and engaging audiences with your organisations mission. This requires a different approach from ’employed’ fundraisers – it’s no longer just about what can you squeeze out of ‘donors’, but how can you engage and inspire people, give them the tools, and set them loose.

Now, instead of a few isolated strikers, your fundraising team is suddenly a lot bigger – all with an eye for fundraising opportunities.

For those that enjoy the beautiful game here is the birth of Total Football in action.