Advancing_Fundraising_JulyAugust2010_Final by Gail Knox

advancing fundraising

July / August 2010 Issue 7

Fundraising easy street Get you share of media spoils

Major gifts How much is enough?

Was 2007-08 a good donor vintage?

The magazine for members of the national peak body for professional fundraising in Australia.

Call for Entries 2011 FIA’s National Awards for Excellence in F undraising recognise the outstanding initiatives and innovative efforts of fundraisers, volunteers and organisations. The awards encourage the highest standard of professional practice and promote the role of fundraisers in making our society a better p lace to work and live. Applications are invited a cross eight categories for organisational awards a t state level. State winners progress for consideration to national awards. National winners will be announced at the President’s Gala Dinner during the FIA’s 34th International Fundraising Conference in Melbourne.

Organisational Awards Capital campaigns/Major gifts campaign Acquisition campaign Renewal campaign Special event campaign Bequest campaign Fundraising marketing campaign

Individual Awards Arthur V enn Fundraising Professional of the Year Volunteer of the Year  Download and complete the electronic entry form (visit our website to download t he e ntry form www.fia.org.au) for inclusion on your CD.  Print a hard copy of the form and ensure a ll requirements are fulfilled.  Ensure you d evelop your entry around the set criteria and points weighting.  Each Organisation Award entry must b e for a campaign conducted during the 18 months prior to 10 September 2010 (1 March 2009 to 1 S eptember 2010).  Entries will only be accepted in a CD format.  Please note only F IA members are eligible to enter.  There is no entry fee. For further information on t he awards and t o download the Call for Entries brochure, please visit the FIA website www.fia.org.au or email us at memberservices@fia.org.au. Entries m ust be received at the FIA by 5pm F riday 10 September 2010.

THE F IA AWARDS ARE SUPPORTED BY

From the CEO’s desk CHRIS MCMILLAN MFIA

am pleased to say that membership renewals are in full flight, contributing to the existing financially stable base which will facilitate development of further services and benefits for members. It’s particularly pleasing to see the growing number taking up organisational membership! Organisational membership offers organisations the ability to promote to their donors and stakeholders that they undertake fundraising practices under the nationally recognised code of fundraising conduct (the FIA’s Principles and Standards of Fundraising Practice). Use of the FIA organisational member logo demonstrates your organisation’s commitment to accountability and transparency in fundraising and support of excellence in fundraising practice.

National Awards for Excellence in Fundraising The annual FIA National Awards for Excellence in Fundraising are now open to FIA members. Details may be found at www.fia.org.au. The awards recognise the outstanding efforts and initiatives undertaken by fundraising professionals. Following the 2010 awards, a review of the processes and criteria was undertaken with the result being a more robust, transparent and rigorous process. There has also been one significant change to the individual category with the introduction of the Arthur Venn Fundraising Professional of the Year (national award only). The Arthur Venn Fundraiser of the Year award acknowledges the significant and highly valued contribution to the fundraising profession made by Mr Arthur Venn and is to be awarded to an FIA member who has demonstrated outstanding success as a fundraiser. This award will be judged at a national level. Please consider being part of the awards – all too often the great stories of fundraising are not celebrated and shared. Awards submissions must be received by 5 pm, Friday, 10 September.

Fair Fees Action A couple of months ago I flagged with members an important change in the way credit card donations are processed in Australia. The change is referred to as Batch Authorisation (Bat Auth) process. A direct result of this Bat Auth process is escalating credit card rejection rates which in turns results in charitable donations being diminished or lost. Your organisation may already have been effected by these changes. The most significant area impacted in the charitable sector is regular giving. Some medium-sized organisations report annual losses of over $3 million a year.

Contents

July / August 2010

Chairman’s page

International Conference agreement

Major gifts

How much is enough?

Research

Was 2007-08 a good vintage?

Media relations

Taking the fast track to fundraising easy street

Governance

Raising the bar on public scrutiny

Policy

Ensuring best practice for our sector

Chapter news Initiatives

14 15

Include a Charity

Ethics

Ethical dilemmas... there’s no easy answers FIA membership = Commitment to transparency

Profile

20 minutes with Perpetual’s Andrew Thomas

21 23

Legal advice Wills and fulfilling good intentions

Inspiration

Make mine a triple shot… I have to read the case for support!

Technology

Successful software implementation Disaster recovery

29 30

FUNDRAISING INSTITUTE AUSTRALIA PO Box 642 Chatswood NSW 2753 Australia Tel: +61 2 9411 6644 Fax: +61 2 9411 6655 www.fia.org.au For editorial and advertising inquiries: Gail Knox at gknox@fia.org.au Tel: +61 2 9410 5911 Layout: Holz Media www.holzmedia.com.au ISSN 1837-901X This magazine is printed on paper from sustainably managed forests and is elemental chlorine free.

Continued on Page 9 July / August 2010

Chairman’s page

Conference agreement on international curriculum by LEO ORLAND FFIA CFRE

Just returned from an international conference, FIA’s chairman shares the exciting news we’re three steps closer to an exciting global future for fundraising.

n Wednesday 7 July at the London Hilton Metropole Hotel, I found myself spending the day in a room with no windows. The occasion was the 6th International Fundraising Summit. The meeting was both daunting and exciting. It was daunting because there were some very important issues to be discussed. It was exciting because in the room were some of the leading fundraising peak bodies from around the world. At the summit were representatives from Sweden, Japan, Poland, Holland, Ireland, India, France, US/ Canada, UK and Australia. Also present were observers from Resource Alliance, CFRE and a number of other organisations. The topics on the agenda included ethics and the international challenge, accreditation, training and education. It was my hope that we would reach an agreement that would lead to the development of an international curriculum. I was also concerned that the meeting would be more than a time of discussion, but also a time for making some strategic decisions. I am so excited to report that not only were my expectations met, but the outcomes went even beyond what I had imagined. While there is a lot of work to be done on all three projects, they are important steps toward an exciting future for the profession of fundraising both in Australia and globally.

Three decisions taken at the 6th International Fundraising Summit: 1. A research document to be commissioned to examine the benefits and the challenges for self-regulation of national fundraising. The aim is to examine how national codes can be used to effectively regulate fundraising instead of being regulated by governments. 2. The mapping of core competencies which will be the basis of an international curriculum recognised by peak fundraising bodies. 3. The development of a senior qualification for fundraisers with ten years or more experience which would be recognized by peak fundraising bodies.

Lady Mary Archer

While in the UK I met with Lady Mary Archer who is, among other roles, the Chairman of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, a scientist specialising in solar power conversion and philanthropist. Dr Archer has agreed to present the opening plenary at FIA’s International Conference to be held in Melbourne

Fundraising Institute Australia

on February 24 – 27, 2011. Dr Archer will also conduct a workshop for CEOs, non-profit board members and senior fundraisers. I am glad to say that the conference is starting to take shape. We will have some outstanding speakers both from Australia and from overseas. So please mark the dates in your diary now. This will be one conference not to be missed.

FIA chairman Leo Orland catches up with Peter Dalton, now working for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust, Cambridge University Hospitals in England, and Craige Gravestein from Xponential Philanthropy, Brisbane at the International Fundraising Summit.

FIA to co-host new global awards for fundraising

The FIA is delighted to join with national fundraising peak bodies across the world in co-hosting the first ever international fundraising awards. The UK-based organisation Resource Alliance announced the Global Awards for Fundraising on 12 July. “Only winners awarded by national peak bodies will be eligible for the global awards,” FIA CEO Chris McMillan said. “This is in recognition of the crucial role national associations play in supporting their not-for-profit organisations, with the view to bringing them into the global fundraising arena which is so important for sharing, learning and development. “Establishment of these new global awards is now another compelling reason to apply for the FIA National Awards for Excellence in Fundraising 2011 and be in the running for international recognition. “The FIA’s key role in these international awards is in keeping with our mission of encouraging and supporting people and organisations to ethically practise excellence in fundraising,” Ms McMillan said. Entry for FIA National Awards for Excellence in Fundraising 2011 is now open and closes on 10 September. For details, please visit www.fia.org.au

Major Gifts

How much is enough?

Major gifts

by WENDY SCAIFE MFIA FPRIA

BBusComn MBusMgnt PhD

Thanks to the Perpetual Foundation, Edward Corbould Charitable Trust and EF and SL Gluyas Trust, we now know more about Australians’ decisions to donate substantially.

esearchers at the Australian Centre of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies at Queensland University of Technology recently conducted focus groups and interviews to tap attitudes of nearly 50 players in the Australian major giving scene. The result: Some clear messages for givers and charities. What’s a major gift? Clearly, that depends on the charity. In this study, it means donations of at least $10,000, although for some interviewees it was more towards millions each year.

“Substantive giving by people of means is not the norm here.”

Are major gifts seen as important? Respondents saw major gifts as “the backbone of the sector”, “transformational for communities, givers and organisations”, about “lifeblood” and “survival”. Givers talked about what they do as being especially critical because of the global financial crisis and because government funding is “bureaucratic”, “politically driven” and while “indispensable”, also often “inefficient”. Major giving is a finance model for the community seen by givers and charities alike to generate unique benefits. However, the critical mass is not there because so many affluent Australians are not thinking about, or know much about giving, especially those new to wealth. Substantive giving by people of means is not the norm here. As one respondent said, “I do not think people are well educated about ...what it means, how they can do it, tax effective ways of doing it.” People told how high-networth Australians sometimes questioned whether people like them actually do give large amounts – so a lack of role models is a problem. They spoke of people of great capacity donating $500 and $1500, and considering these to be very large gifts.

Rejection of “loaded labels” Whether the wealthy must give or what constitutes a good donation are individual moral questions, but ones worth asking nonetheless. Many givers in this study eschewed the words July / August 2010

Major gifts

philanthropist and high net worth as loaded labels. As to how much is enough, it was not uncommon participants asserted to “test the waters” with a small amount to see how well the organisation performed. Good performance, good feedback, good transparency and these donor investors were happy to give again and more and in ways that went beyond money too.

An “evangelical” experience Givers described how they came to really “own” a project and they moved from thinking about the dollars to thinking about the outcomes. As givers said, “no longer calculating the dollars... they’re absorbed with the thing” or “...getting hands on experience...getting your hands dirty with it and meeting people and after a while you get very committed to it... almost evangelical”. Some people shared how they set budgets for their giving, but it was often notional and flexible. Other people divided their giving, for example some to their personal areas of passion, some to hardship and some to general community good. Making those choices was enjoyable and often involved testing out a giving strategy and re-jigging after experience. Seldom was a percentage of income involved – like 10 per cent tithing or 1.5 per cent as an annual giving goal. However, such concepts may be useful to get people

Other than those locked into giving structures by preceding generations, people spoke about reaching a point where they were ready to give. Once mentally ready, they spoke of taking the first step. They then were alert to projects and organisations that matched those values, and enabled them to act on them. The trigger at that point was some need they saw and thought they might help with, or very commonly hearing a friend or colleague talk about something that resonated with them and deciding to be part of that. Timing was crucial, in terms of life stage or what was happening with their finances. “The board chair and the CEO, closely followed by the board are important to givers.” Charity boards and CEOs can be very helpful in learning more about causes that can benefit from givers’ input. The study yielded an overwhelming response that Australian boards did not offer them the reassurance, the profile or the level of transparency and accountability major givers were seeking.

Board chair and CEO ideally lead giving The board chair and the CEO, closely followed by the board are important to givers. The study confirms this group ideally leads giving in lots of ways. Sometimes it is through their own donations, but always it should be through a vision and programs that donors can see are worthy, inspiring, well-managed and transparently making a difference. These senior leaders also need to work with the team to enact the policies, plans and networks that support major giving: gift acceptance policies, research policies or a plan that enables focused resources to be applied and not siphoned off elsewhere to other fundraising programs. More information is available at: https://wiki.qut.edu.au/display/CPNS/Major+Gifts

“The board chair and the CEO, closely followed by the board are important to givers.” thinking about the types of giving that they might do, if engaged in the area. People in the ACPNS study give for a host of different reasons, but none was about pressure although sometimes peer expectation played a role for some, particularly as a start into giving. As respondents stated – time after time – giving is more about a convincing case to invest in the community and the word “invest” came up repeatedly. This mindset is not surprising considering that a lot of people have mustered their wealth through business and investment. The other driving force people related candidly was their values, as individuals or as a family or as parents trying to instil sensible values in children to counteract their privileged background.

Taking the first step 6

Fundraising Institute Australia

Dr Wendy Scaife MFIA FPRIA is a senior research fellow with the Australian Centre of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies at QUT.

Research Research

Was 2007-2008 a

By BRUNO YVANOVICH MFIA BSc MPA

GOOD VINTAGE? Research reveals a failure to really capitalise on the impact of the Asian Tsunami.

ine vintages vary from year to year. Do donor vintages vary as well? The Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies recently released its annual review of Australian Taxation Office data on taxpayers’ donations for 2007-08 and, as always, it’s a good drop to savour carefully. This series of annual reviews analyses tax-deductible donations claimed by individual Australian taxpayers as reported in their income tax returns for 2007-08. So it excludes corporate giving and donations made through lotteries, merchandising and the like, as well as donations made through pre-tax arrangements such as workplace giving.

In this article, taxpayers who claimed tax-deductible donations are called “donors” for convenience.

The headlines: “More Australians continue to give more” Before we look at the figures, we should recall that 2007-08 saw the beginning of the global financial crisis, especially the second half of 2008. The “Kevin 07” phenomenon had struck in the latter part of 2007 and President Obama made history in January 2008. There was a sense of optimism and that an exciting new chapter was opened, although the signs of impending problems grew. So most of the data reported here was still in the context of relatively positive economic times.

July / August 2010

Research The real impact of the GFC would be felt in the 200809 period. On the back of that wave of good times, more Australians gave more dollars and a greater proportion of their income in 2007-08 compared to the previous year: n Total taxpayers grew by 7.1 per cent while total donors grew by 4.7 per cent - so the rate of recruitment of new donors was less than that for total taxpayers, a rather disappointing result from a fundraising perspective tt Being wary of annual changes however, a look back over ten years to 1997-98, reveals that total taxpayers grew by 22.5 per cent while total donors grew by 37.8 per cent - a much more satisfactory and telling long-term trend – more of that later. n Overall, $2346 million was donated which was an increase of 24.45 per cent over the previous year tt Whereas total incomes only grew by 10.1 per cent - an increase in giving more that double the increase in incomes! tt Over the ten years, the rates were 284 per cent in total donations and 87.2 per cent in total incomes respectively. n The average donation was $523.10 which was 19 per cent higher than the previous year tt The relevant ten year increase was 182.6 per cent n Finally, the proportion of donations to income was also up sharply – from 0.376 per cent to 0.425 per cent.

“Asian Tsunami” revisited

You would all recall the terrible Boxing Day 2004 tsunami and the inspiring outpouring of individual and corporate support in response. There was a sharp rise in the number of donors then, but a subsequent leakage which has only just recovered which Figure 1 below demonstrates. The tsunami effect shows up in the 2004-05 tax year (over 2005 in the chart). You can see from the trend line (black line in Figure 1) that the Asian Tsunami was an aberration. There was a sharp peak then, but a subsequent leakage in donors recruited has returned us to the trend line. While we can pat ourselves on our collective fundraising back for the upwards trend, we also have to recognise

Fundraising Institute Australia

the profession did not really capitalise on the new donors recruited via the tsunami. Why was that you might ask!

Battle of the donor sexes

There has been an interesting shift in the male/female donor ratios over time which has significance for “who and how” we target donors. The table below has an intriguing tale to tell.

Initially, the male participation rates (percentage who were donors) was slightly higher but the female rate rose to nearly equal. A marked shift has now occurred with appreciably more women as donors than men. Not only are more of them giving, women are also much more generous as can be seen from the percentage of income donated – again from a position initially of near parity. Finally, women’s average gift has also increased sharply and is now nearly equal to that of men, despite the welldocumented disparity in male/female incomes. Clearly, women are becoming a significant force in philanthropy.

State of origin

In a previous article (Advancing Fundraising, September 2009), I demonstrated the resources boom seems to have by-passed philanthropy when you examined donors behaviour by jurisdiction. I will look more closely at a number of dimensions of donor behaviour in a future article, but for now let me highlight participation, that is, the number of donors to total taxpayers. It’s quite evident from Figure 2 that the resource-rich states of Western Australia and Queensland continue to lag well below the national average in the 2007-08 taxation year, while the virtually resource-barren Australian Capital Territory remains the exemplar. It’s not just the resources super-profit tax that needs attention – perhaps we need a philanthropy super-profits tax as well!

Research

Summary So, was 2007-08 a good donor vintage? The evidence seems to lead to the answer “yes”: more Australians gave more – especially if they were women and did not live in the “resource boom” states. Our long-term trend growth in donor recruitment is healthy, but we as a profession did not really capitalise on the new donors recruited in response to the Asian Tsunami. It will be interesting to track our efforts at retaining the new donors recruited in response to the devastating 2009 Victorian bushfires in the years ahead. There’s good news there – but no room for complacency… and much room for improvement.

References McGregor-Lowndes, M and Hoffman, K, An Examination of Tax Deductible Donations Made by Individual Australian Taxpayers in 2007-08, Working Paper No. 51, CPNS May 2010.

McGregor-Lowndes, M and Newton, C, An Examination Of Tax–Deductible Donations Made By Individual Australian Taxpayers In 2004-05. Working Paper No. 37, CPNS 2007. McGregor-Lowndes, M and Marsden, S, An Examination of Tax Deductible Donations Made by Individual Australian Taxpayers in 2001-2002. Working Paper No. 27, CPNS 2004. Bruno Yvanovich MFIA is the manager, partnerships and development at the Australian Catholic University.

From the CEO’s Desk, continued from page 3

Larger organisations report losses of over $12 million. A coalition of not-for-profits has been created called Fair Fees Action. It is being co-ordinated by Choice, the consumer advocacy group and supported by the Fundraising Institute of Australia. Not-for-profits and charities affected or concerned about the impacts of Bat Auth have been working together to address the issue. They have been sharing best practices to reduce attrition rates. They have also been convening regularly to determine an appropriate course of action to work with banks and credit card issuers to find a solution. If your organisation processes donations by credit card, joining Fair Fees Action will provide you with a forum for discussion and action. Already Fair Fees Action is endorsed and supported by over 30 NFPs working in Australia. They include Amnesty, RSPCA, Greenpeace, the Heart Foundation, Fred Hollows, Oxfam and the Australian Conservation Foundation. Positive meetings have already taken place with senior banking executives. Fair Fees Action aims are: • Action 1: Greater transparency around credit card fees and rejections • Action 2: Standard fee upper limit for processing credit cards

• Action 3: Zero per cent rejection rate for valid accounts on transactions below $30 • Action 4: Early warning systems and consultation processes Fair Fees Action is currently aiming to have support from as many Australian-based not-for-profits (and companies working with not-for-profits) to endorse the aims. The more organisations involved, the greater the pressure can be placed on Australian financial institutions to improve their ways in working with the sector. Joining Fair Fees Action is easy – and free! • Step 1: Contact FIA at policy@fia.org.au and we will email you the Fair Fees Action scope document • Step 2: Send a JPG of your organisation’s logo to FIA. Your organisation’s logo will be placed on the document alongside existing Fair Fees Action partner organisations.

“Be Inspired” FIA Conference 2011 Activities are well advanced with the 2011 Conference – details will be available within the next month. Please bookmark your diaries for Thursday 24 February – Sunday 27 February (includes Master Classes), Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre. July / August 2010

Media relations

Taking the fast track to fundraising easy street How to get your share of the media spoils by BRETT DE HOEDT

onsider two fundraisers. Both want to win hearts, minds and wallets. Both want to acquire new donors, reignite relationships with lapsed donors and be seen as the prime choice for prospective sponsors and supporters. One works for an organisation that is media savvy; the other works for an organisation that is media shy. Who has the better chances of achieving their aims? If you answered “media shy”, please turn to another article now because clearly the media savvy have the competitive edge and you’re just not trying. I confess – you could survive, maybe even thrive without media coverage, but your chances of success

diminish every time you send another piece of direct mail to someone who hasn’t heard of you. Or (even worse) someone who has been wondering what you’ve been up to lately. Why would I fundraise for you/attend your event/ bequest to you if I don’t even know you? Media coverage is a great way to turn strangers into acquaintances. Rightly or wrongly media coverage conveys authority, credibility and dare we say a whiff of glamour. It positions you as leaders and, by jove, media can take your message to a lot of potential donors. Every time we secure an interview on ABC Radio National’s Life Matters we reach 400,000 sympathetic, communityorientated citizens. That’s a lot of free advertising to a prized demographic. Yet too many fundraisers leave media spoils for their competitors. I find this curious.

So how do you take advantage of this fast track to fundraising easy street? Tips for fundraisers 1. Make nice with your media person. See if you can work together. Suggest that you time some media coverage to pre-empt your next mailout or campaign. If that casts your media person’s pretty little head into a spin, you have the choice of seeking the coverage yourself, looking externally or adjusting your timing to coincide with the next media spike.

2. Use media coverage as independent proof to your donors that you are worth supporting. Your communications show donors how wonderful the work you do is, but somewhere in the back of the donor’s head is a little voice commenting: “Well they would say that wouldn’t they?” This is the death knell for your hopes and aspirations.

Fundraising Institute Australia

Base your communications around some positive media coverage – send a copy of printed material or a link if you are communicating online - and you immediately have the added credibility that media coverage (rightly or wrongly) provides. Suddenly you’re saying: “Don’t take our word for it, take theirs. (Now give.)”

3. Fundraise in a way that will gain you media coverage. When assessing events and other fundraising choices, give bonus points to ideas that will gain you coverage. St Vincent de Paul’s CEO Sleepout is a prime example. The novelty of our noble leaders sleeping sans silk sheets guarantees media coverage. The media coverage becomes an inbuilt way to generate further interest, participation and dollars.

Media relations

But I am a media person! OK - here’s a way forward for the multi-hatted: 1. Select your organisation’s areas of expertise and key issues. Disability employment? Ageing carers? Diabetes prevention? 2. Select your expert, decide what they have to say and what you want to gain from the coverage. 3. Find “real life” people as case studies to offer alongside your expert. 4. Find data to back up them up. Or create it through a survey of your clients or stakeholders. 5. Meanwhile take note of the media outlets you can foresee covering your issue. Find stories

Two tips worth reading to the bottom for: 1. Releases do not gain you coverage – relationships do. Our relationships will gain clients 200-plus media hits this year and each of those relationships was developed through the regular supply of expertise and appropriate story ideas. That’s it. No corporate entertaining, no drunken escapades during university, no our-kids-go-to-the-same-Steinerschool favours. That’s good news.

covering your expertise. Go beyond the local – consider The Australian, newspaper inserted magazines and supplements, Radio National programs and trade publications. 6. Pick up the telephone and contact the journalist (not the editor) with the line: “Hi, it’s Jane from Dachshunds Without Leashes. We haven’t spoken before. Have you got two minutes for a story idea? I saw your recent story on whippets and I wanted to suggest that we might be a good source of reference for any upcoming canine-related stories. We’re currently campaigning for canine suffrage – is that of any interest to you?” 2. Use this line every time: “Have you got two minutes for a story idea?” It shows empathy. They almost always say “yes” and the conversation almost never stops after two minutes. Now go forth and publicise. Brett de Hoedt is the Mayor of Hootville Communications which provides media training, media relations, websites and campaigning for the NFP sector.

July / August 2010

Governance

Raising the bar on public scrutiny The PwC Transparency Awards are driving a greater level of accountability in the not-for-profit sector.

n a 24/7 digital world, donors, volunteers, business, government and the community are increasingly demanding that we not-for-profit organisations get better at telling our stories,” says Philanthropy Australia CEO and awards juror Gina Anderson at the PricewaterhouseCoopers Transparency Awards ceremony in May 2010. Gina’s words highlight the growing need to improve how NFPs communicate and report their impact. Unfortunately the quality of reporting can be highly variable, given there is no single regulatory framework for NFP organisations to report under.

Introduced in 2007

Awards now global

The awards recognise and encourage the improvement of quality and transparency of reporting within the NFP sector. The concept originated in the Netherlands where they were introduced by the local PwC firm in 2004, and have since been introduced by PwC to other countries around the world including Germany, Australia and Korea. The awards are driving a greater level of accountability in the not-for-profit sector and, since 2007, there has been a marked improvement in the quality and comprehensiveness in the submissions of participants. In particular, organisations entering for consecutive years are continuously improving the areas of reporting which need to be addressed in leading practice reporting. PwC Foundation partner World Vision is the latest award winner.

“We know transparency improves governance and minimises corruption here and in the developing world,” World Vision CEO Tim Costello said about the win.

Fundraising Institute Australia

“World Vision Australia is dedicated to accurate and truthful reporting because it means the public can better understand how their donations are being used to fight poverty. “It also means better results for the poor. Our comprehensive annual reports talk about our achievements and failures, analyse our performance and discuss what we have learned along the way.”

Independent jury

In the awards process submissions are assessed by an independent jury against criteria based on PwC’s reporting framework, the institute’s not-for-profit reporting research, and global reporting initiative’s guidelines across the areas of strategy, financial and operational performance, governance, risk policies and sources of funding.

The 2010 PwC Transparency Awards process will kick off in late September 2010, with registrations of interest closing at the end of October 2010.

In response to this the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Transparency Awards were introduced in Australian in 2007. In designing the awards, PwC and the Institute of Chartered Accountants - joined in 2008 by the Centre for Social Impact collaborated with the sector to ensure they could provide benchmarks and outputs that are useful and constructive. “The awards are helping to raise the bar in the quality of transparent reporting across the NFP sector,” Graham Meyer, CEO of the Institute, says. “This is important as there is not yet a single reporting regime in place for the NFP sector to compare minimum reporting requirements.”

Transparency improves governance

By RICK MILLEN

For the most recent awards the jury included Senator Ursula Stephens, Gina Anderson, Andrew Hewett (Executive Director, Oxfam, winner of 2008 Award) and Peter Hunt (Executive Chairman, Caliburn Partnership Pty Ltd). Each entrant is provided with an individual feedback report and, to assist sector improvement, the findings from the review and best practice examples are made publicly available (www.pwc.com.au/foundation/transparencyawards.htm).

Corporate responsibility

The PwC Transparency Awards form part of PwC’s broader approach to corporate responsibility, across the “four quadrants” of community, environment, people and marketplace. Since 2003, PwC’s community engagement strategy has evolved from individual donations and volunteering with 23 charity partners, to engaging with initiatives that seek to strengthen the not-for-profit sector and contribute to positive social change. “Corporate responsibility is an integral part of our business – it is not a sideshow. PwC’s corporate responsibility commitment includes our contribution to the community, protecting the environment, creating the right culture for our people and embedding these values in everything we do,” says PwC CEO Mark Johnson. Rick Millen is the Global and Australian Corporate Responsibility Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers Australia

Governance

Applying gives a sense of destination by Tim Morris-Smith, Chief Financial Officer, Mission Australia PwC Transparency Awards 2009 runner-up

totally encourage other not-for-profits to apply for the PwC Transparency Awards, even if it’s simply as an opportunity to hold a mirror up to yourselves, and to see where you can improve. Applying takes you on a journey and provides a best practice destination. It’s great that Pricewaterhouse Coopers, the Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Centre for Social Impact have got together and created these awards. The awards give a set of benchmarks and signal the intent to all stakeholders that not-for-profits care about accountability, transparency and the end users of published information. They really make the organisation take an external perspective. For every dollar that is donated, people want to know where it goes and how much goes to disadvantaged people, and how it changes their lives. In the process of submitting our application for the awards, it forced our organisation to think about issues such as disclosure, governance, the needs of

the end user - the person actually reading the annual report or our website. The awards really do offer the opportunity to self-regulate and show our stakeholders that we are good stewards and prepared to benchmark ourselves against an external set of reference points. It’s almost inevitable that for-purpose organisations get focused on their purpose; there are so many people in need that you get very focused on the outcomes you are seeking to achieve, so it’s good to have an external point of reference for your reporting and accountability. There’s a list of questions you have to consider as you go through the process of applying which actually make you think and examine your actions. And it’s not just about financials, it’s about strategies, how you describe your organisation and how the organisation meets the needs it’s trying to address and advocate for. If you don’t know where you’re going, there’s no way of getting there. Applying for the awards gives you a sense of destination for best practice for transparency and disclosure for the sector. This can only be a good thing.

It’s official - ASI is a great place to work! C

ongratulations to Advanced Solutions International (ASI) which has just been named one of the 50 best places to work in Australia by the Great Place to Work Institute’s 2010 survey. This is the second year in a row ASI has received the accolade, placing the not-for-profit partner amongst the exclusive ranks of more commercially-focussed premier workplaces.

As a testimony to its emphasis on maintaining a great place to work despite global economic difficulty, ASI has been rewarded for its leading approach to flexible working and outstanding dedication to staff recognition and wellbeing. ASI has worked exclusively with associations and charitable organisations for nearly 20 years. Its motivated and passionate employees believe in the not-for-profit organisations with which they work. “ASI is honoured to be named once again on BRW Best Places to Work 2010,” ASI Asia-Pacific managing director Paul Ramsbottom said. ASI’s flagship software product iMIS is used by more than 280 not-for-profit organisations in the Asia Pacific region including the FIA. Left: The award-winning ASI team catching up in the Melbourne office, from left to right – Ian Wilcock, Jason Rowe, Pauline Hipkin, Paul Ramsbottom, Bob Ko, Jennifer Padovani, Colin Bryant and Kelly Jones.

July / August 2010

Policy

Ensuring best practice for our sector

Following readers’ requests, Advancing Fundraising now includes a regular “question-and-answer” feature on compliance. We kick off with some popular “frequently asked questions” from the FIA website. Email in your issue so all members can benefit from the response.

I need a licence to Dofundraise?

Yes. Fundraising licences are administrated by the State and Territory government where you are planning to run your campaign. For example, if you are based in Victoria but plan to run a telemarketing campaign that will reach donors in New South Wales, you will need to apply for the relevant licences and permits in Victoria and New South Wales. The only exception is the Northern Territory which does not have fundraising legislation. Please keep in mind you will still require a gaming licence if you would like to run a charitable gaming fundraising activity. Charitable gaming activities such as raffles, bingo, Calcuttas and lotteries fall under state gaming legislation. In addition to holding a fundraising licence, you will have to apply for a gaming licence in the state you are operating in. To find more information or to apply for a fundraising licence, you will need to contact the relevant state or territory office. See the contact list for government bodies under the resources section of the FIA website.

Fundraising Institute Australia

What information does a charity have to disclose to donors or potential donors? Under FIA’s Principles and Standards of Fundraising Practice, when soliciting donations, the charity must provide contact details such as the name of the charity, street address, website and telephone number. Donors should be informed of what the intended use of the donation is, the charity’s mission and an accurate description of the charity’s activities. Upon request, a charity must supply the most recent annual report, constitution, and if relevant, details of the source from which the charity obtained the donor’s contact information, the person in the charity handling donor complaints and if the fundraiser soliciting the donation is an employee of the charity, an employee of a supplier of fundraising services or a volunteer. Please email your compliance issue to policy@fia.org.au, with the subject “Advancing Fundraising - Compliance”.

CHAPTER 1 Victoria

2011 - Be Inspired

4-27 February 2011 – have you placed it in your diary? If not, please do it now! These four information-packed days represent our 2011 FIA International Conference which, I’m sure, will be remembered as one of our greatest ever conferences. As this edition goes to print negotiations are being finalised with our international guests; and while not able to give too much away, I can say that they are each at the peak of their respective fields and will provide great take-away messages and techniques. In the new Melbourne Conference Exhibition Centre we have a state-of-the-art venue, which will deliver to our high expectations, both from the conference and social program perspectives. Our committee, ably led by conference chair John Allen and conference program director Sharon Hillman, are assembling a fantastic program, a sneak peek of which will be available for viewing on the website in the next few weeks. Please take the time to read through it and take advantage of early-bird registration rates. Chapter 1 professional development continues with special interest groups, luncheons and events, one of which is the Skills 1 course. This fantastic introduction to fundraising is filling fast. Check the FIA website for details and register now. I hope that your pre-tax campaign, in whatever format best connects with your donors, has been successful. If so, please consider entering the FIA Awards program which allows you to gain the recognition you deserve, benchmark against your peers and, most importantly, critically analyse your campaign’s strengths and weaknesses. Thank you again to the Chapter 1 Executive Committee for the work that you each undertake to continually improve our profession.

Peter Burnett MFIA Chapter 1 President

Chapter 1 is proudly supported by:

CHAPTER 2 NSW

Farewell, fundraising fathers!

une 30 saw the departure from our ranks of two of our longstanding members – Dennis O’Reilly and Allan Harrington. Dennis O’Reilly is finally hanging up his shingle after 40 years in the industry and Allan Harrington after 15 years of membership. Dennis started in fundraising with the Democratic Labor Party in Victoria in 1970 and, while not a foundation member of TAIF, he joined in 1973 and subsequently was one of the 71 registrants at the first TAIF Conference in January 1974. He was co-opted to the Chapter 1 Committee in 1975 with responsibility for the library portfolio, held several other portfolios and was chairman of the National Conference Organising committee in the late 1970s. He worked over the years for a wide range of not-for-profit organisations, ending up in Sydney. Dennis joined the Chapter 2 Executive in the late 1990s and was appointed vice-president when Jenny Marchionni was president. Jenny resigned for pressing health reasons and Dennis took over the reins for the year, and handed over to Evelyn Mason at the next election. Dennis was elected a fellow of FIA and worked with FIA subcommittees on a number of regulatory and code of practice issues, mostly around telemarketing. Dennis has been a tower of strength and a superb member of FIA. Thank you, Dennis, for your loyal contribution over so many years. We will miss your smiling face and wise council at conferences and events. Allan Harrington joined FIA when recruited to the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children in October 1994 as direct marketing manager. Over the next ten years, and under Allan’s guidance the call centre saw a significant change with the introduction of a predictive dialler. A quick calculation indicates these programs raised a gross amount of around $32 million. Allan “retired” from RIDBC, but then was encouraged to take up a new position as director of development with William Clarke College because of its Christian focus. Here he is nearly five years later once again trying to move into retirement. “I certainly attended several FIA Conferences and many of the professional development luncheons over those 15 years,” Allan says. “I found them extremely helpful and I can also say how much I believe FIA has grown in its own professionalism over that time. I also enjoyed forming relationships within the sector through FIA over the years.” Happy retirement, Allan! We are very excited at Chapter 2 about the introduction of two new professional development concepts – the Presidents Series and a month of international speakers in August. Chapter news continues p18 July / August 2010

Professional Development Calendar 2010 August to November AU GUS T Chapter 1 (Victoria)

• • • •

Chapter 2 (NSW)

•

• •

Chapter 3 (QLD)

• •

S EP TEM BER

Chapter Executive meeting Monday 9 August Professional Development Lunch, Wednesday 11 August Bequest Special Interest Group Thursday 26 August Skills 1: The Foundations of Fundraising, Friday 20, Saturday 21, Saturday 28 August and Saturday 4 September

•

International Speakers Month oo Professional Development Lunch with John Casey, 4 August oo Professional Development Breakfast with Doug Dillon, 12 August oo Professional Development Function with Masterworks, 31 August Chapter Executive meeting Monday 9 August Skills 2, Building on the Foundations of Fundraising, Thursday 19 – Saturday 21 August

•

Professional Development Breakfast followed by a 90 minute workshop, Tuesday 10 August Chapter Executive meeting Friday 20 August

•

• • •

• •

• • • •

Chapter 4 (SA/NT)

• • •

Chapter 5 (WA)

• • •

Chapter 6 (ACT)

•

Chapter 7 (Tasmania)

•

hapter Executive meeting C Thursday 5 August Professional Development Luncheon with International Guest Steve Mourning, Thursday 19 August Skills 2: Building on the Foundations of Fundraising, Friday 27 August , Friday 3 & Saturday 4 September

•

hapter Executive meeting C Tuesday 3 August Social Event – Young Fundraisers, Thursday 5 August Fundraising in the Wild West WA State Conference Thursday 26 August

•

hapter Executive meeting C Thursday 19 August

•

kills 1: The Foundation of Fundraising, S Monday 2, Tuesday 3 and Monday 9 August Chapter Executive meeting, Monday 2 August

•

Fundraising Institute Australia

•

hapter Executive meeting, C Monday 13 September Major Gifts Special Interest Group, Tuesday 7 September CFRE Exam, Friday 17 September (applications via CFRE International) Special Interest Group, Tuesday 28 September hapter Executive meeting, C Monday 13 September CFRE Exam, Friday 17 September (applications via CFRE International) Professional Development Lunch, Thursday 23 September

kills 2: Building on the Foundations of S Fundraising, Wednesday 1 – Friday 3 September Professional Development Breakfast, Tuesday 14 September Chapter Executive meeting, Friday 17 September CFRE Exam, Friday 17 September (applications via CFRE International) Gold Coast Professional Development Workshop, Friday 17 September hapter Executive meeting, C Thursday 2 September Professional Development Luncheon, Thursday 9 September

hapter Executive meeting, C Tuesday 7 September CFRE Exam, Friday 17 September (applications via CFRE International)

rofessional Development event, P Wednesday 8 September Chapter Executive meeting Thursday 16 September hapter Executive meeting C Tuesday 7 September Professional Development Lunch on Sponsorship, Wednesday 22 September

This calendar is subject to change. For more details, please go to the professional development section of our website. Professional development events are scheduled dependent on numbers. To register your interest in any of these events please email events@fia.org.au.

Please note for the benefit of members registration closing dates are enforced to ensure appropriate event preparations can be made. Chapter Executive meetings are included for your reference.

O CTO BER Chapter 1 (Victoria)

• • •

irect Marketing Special Interest D Group, Wednesday 13 October Chapter Executive meeting Monday 11 October Bequest Special Interest Group, Wednesday 27 October

N OVEM BER • • • •

Chapter 2 (NSW)

• • •

Chapter 3 (QLD)

• •

rofessional Development Luncheon, P Tuesday 12 October Chapter Executive meeting, Wednesday 13 October Skills 3 Proposed dates – Thursday 14 – Saturday 16 October

•

rofessional Development Breakfast P followed by 90 minute workshop, Tuesday 12 October Chapter Executive meeting, Friday 15 October

•

• • •

Chapter 4 (SA/NT)

• •

hapter Executive meeting C Thursday 7 October Professional Development Luncheon, Thursday 14 October

• • •

Chapter 5 (WA)

•

hapter Executive meeting C Tuesday 5 October

• • •

Professional Development Lunch, Wednesday 10 November Major Gifts Special Interest Group, Friday 18 November Chapter Executive meeting Monday 8 November CFRE Exam, Friday 19 November (applications via CFRE International) hapter Executive meeting, C Monday 8 November CFRE Exam, Friday 19 November (applications via CFRE International)

ombined FIA/CPNS Breakfast, C Tuesday 9 November Chapter Executive meeting, Friday 19 November CFRE Exam, Friday 19 November (applications via CFRE International) Gold Coast Christmas function, Friday 26 November hapter Executive meeting C Thursday 4 November Professional Development Luncheon, Thursday 11 November CFRE Exam, Friday 19 November (applications via CFRE International) hapter Executive meeting C Tuesday 2 November Skills 1: The Foundations of Fundraising, Thursday 4 – Saturday 6 November CFRE Exam, Friday 19 November (applications via CFRE International)

Chapter 6 (ACT)

•

hapter Executive meeting C Friday 22 October

•

hapter Executive meeting C Friday 19 November

Chapter 7 (Tasmania)

•

hapter Executive meeting C Tuesday 5 October

•

hapter Executive meeting C Tuesday 2 November

Madison Down Under 2010, Novotel Barossa Valley Resort Friday 13 – Tuesday 17 August. July / August 2010

The President’s Series is being planned by Evelyn Mason, second director of FIA for NSW and holder of the senior/experienced fundraisers portfolio, with the assistance of Mark Quigley. The series will comprise four lunch or breakfast sessions with topics related to fundraising, but not necessarily fundraising in nature. The first session in Sydney on 29 July relates to the World Wealth Report and its impact on Australia. The idea is to have topics also of interest to CEOs, board members or other senior staff. The second new concept is a month of International speakers in August: • John Casey from NYC on 4 August • Doug Dillon from Boston on 12 August • Masterworks from Seattle, Washington, USA on 31 August. Alicia Watson EMFIA CFRE CFRM Chapter 2 President

CHAPTER 3 QLD

From little things, big things grow

t strikes me how relevant this quote is, not just in what we do as professional fundraisers through development of donor relationships, but also in the impact felt by contributions from people who donate their time, money or both, in the world of fundraising and philanthropy. To look at some recent Queensland examples… Through just a few hours every month, executive committee members join together to look at what can be delivered in the continuing education and development space for professional fundraisers in Queensland - as happens in other states. From the May professional development on major gifts attended by more than 70 people, followed the major gifts one-day workshop Strategies for Success attended by nearly 30 of Queensland’s major gift fundraisers. Case studies were shared and delegates were left with many ideas to implement, helping to build successful strategies to support the people and causes they represent. With the support of young fundraisers Peter Evans and Josie Loth, we are about to relaunch the Young Fundraisers Group dedicated to helping those who are young in age or young in fundraising experience navigate some of the challenges, and further grow their networks and career development opportunities. Finally, I would like to remember and acknowledge one of Queensland’s great philanthropists Ken Talbot who was tragically killed in June in a plane accident in Africa. Founder of the Talbot Family Foundation, Mr Talbot distributed millions of dollars to primarily Queensland-based charities and helped charities develop their programs to help more people in need. It is always inspiring working among so many who give so much – whether it be time, money or a combination of both, and witnessing just how much can happen from the smallest of contributions.

Fundraising Institute Australia

I look forward to seeing you at one of the Queensland professional development events in the near future. Please get in touch.

Joanna Garner EMFIA CFRE Chapter 3 President

CHAPTER 4 SA/NT

Launch of the online groups

ith the year now halfway through, 2010 is flying by. The feedback from our members tells us that the offered activities and toolboxes have been of a calibre you expect. It has been pleasing to see you utilise these in true fundraiser style – with zest! Our online special interest groups were launched successfully at the recent social media luncheon. We now have available online groups in the areas of bequests, direct mail and technology. I urge you to join the groups and participate online in this exciting venture. Please feel free to either email myself or Julie Quimby on julie.quimby@gmail.com to learn more. We will also be providing some outstanding professional development seminars in the final six months of the year including an MDU speaker and topics relating to bequests, trusts and, due to popular demand, another online fundraising offering. Chapter 4 will be holding Skills 2 in September. This provides our members with the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding in this unique field while gaining qualifications recognised throughout the industry. For further information, please contact Kim Jacobsen at KJacobson@seymour.sa.edu.au. The start of the new financial year brings renewal of membership with FIA, and we urge you to renew your membership and encourage others in your organisation to join. Please contact Elizabeth Davis on edavis@ emdfconsultancy.com.au for assistance. I look forward to seeing many of you in the upcoming months and remind you the chapter executive is here to assist you. Please feel free to email me on tmcnamara@ stpeters.sa.edu.au or 0411 446 924 should you have any thoughts, comments or suggestions in relation to FIA and Chapter 4.

Tracy McNamara MFIA Chapter 4 President

CHAPTER 5 WA

Data security ignorance is no defence!

o another end of financial year has just come and gone, and from most reports giving is up on last year as donor confidence in the economic future is renewed. It will come as no surprise to most fundraising

professionals that donors consider the future when giving now. If a donor is unsure about their economic future, they will be inclined to hold back “just in case”. Donors look at the future of the people that will benefit from their gift. Donors also consider the organisation’s future. Does it have vision for where it is going? Without vision for the future, an organisation can be seen as providing bandaid solutions rather than making a impacting difference. Which brings me to fundraising professionals. Are we looking at the future? Are we keeping up-to-date with new ideas, trends, communications, strategies and legislation? The FIA’s professional development program is designed not just to help us do well what we are doing now, but that we are prepared for the future. As a new feature of the state conference in August this year, we are holding the 2020 Shoot-Out. It will be a light-hearted, but insightful attempt to look at fundraising 20 years from now. Debate topics will include: • By 2020 the top fundraising directors will come from the commercial sector. • Big is beautiful – there will be fewer, larger, more efficient charities in 2020. Plan to be there but don’t forget our 28 July event when Channel 7’s Andrea Burns is our guest speaker, presenting Making Headlines and Making Money. Consider your future now.

Brian Holmes FFIA Chapter 5 President

CHAPTER 6 ACT

Focus on electronic media

hapter 6 executive committee is keen to provide interesting and useful topics to its members, and the focus for the September and November professional development luncheons will be using electronic media in various ways to help with membership, volunteers and fundraising. The internet is changing so rapidly that new tools for electronic communication are coming online every day. You have to be quick to stay ahead of the rush – or at least not too far behind it. The first and sometimes hardest step is collecting email addresses. One way is to be sure to include an email request line on all forms and cards in which you ask for other address information, and an email opt-in box on your website. Encourage your stakeholders to visit your website by publishing your URL on all printed communications and stationery. Maintaining your email address list with accurate information can be challenging, as email addresses change even faster than mailing addresses. Every email you send should have a link that makes it easy for your donors to update their information. Once you have your database of email addresses, you’ll want to look at options for communicating with your

audiences electronically. For example, e-newsletters or e-zines are regularly distributed headlines and blurbs that often link to a website with more complete stories. Keep subject lines short, hyperlinks plentiful and graphics on your e-newsletter simple, otherwise many in your audience won’t have the patience to wait for your newsletter to load or you’ll clog their in-boxes. Watch out for news about our upcoming programs as I am sure you will find them most interesting and useful.

Judy Ford MFIA CFRE President 6 President

CHAPTER 7 TASMANIA

Don’t be distracted by beauty!

asmanians are so fortunate to live in a place that has so much going for it. The state’s natural beauty is evident everywhere you travel, from the white sandy beaches of the East Coast, to the rugged outlook of the West Coast, and the air at this time of year is crisp and clean. This natural attractiveness of our environment can sometimes provide a distraction to the issues that require our attention. Whether our cause is alleviating human suffering and disadvantage, preserving the environment, ensuring the future of our flora and fauna, education or vital medical research and advancements, our cause requires our best efforts to succeed as fundraisers in ensuring resources are available for the people in our organisation who carry out these activities. Professional development plays an important part in resourcing us to do our best for our cause. The Chapter 7 professional development team have been working hard to bring a great program to our local fundraisers to consider attending over the next six months. Thank you to Melita Griffin and Ric Fletcher for all their hard work in securing the program which includes the Skills 1 course on 2, 3 and 9 August. Check the FIA website for more details on these events. Awards season is coming up, so I would encourage you to consider making a submission for your fundraising program. It would be great to see a number of submissions entered for judging in 2010 from Chapter 7. The Chapter 7 executive would like to recognise the efforts and contribution of two local fundraisers who have needed to resign from the executive in recent times Sussan Sussems and Erin Ison. Thank you to you both, and we extend our best wishes to Erin as she heads overseas. We also welcome Carmen Jenkinson, who has taken up one of these vacancies on the executive. I look forward to catching up with you at the events and activities organised over the coming months.

Stuart Foster MFIA Chapter 7 President

July / August 2010

Initiatives

OPER ATION RENEWAL changing the national landscape of bequest giving The FIA has swung behind Include a Charity in its goal to increase awareness of the importance of bequests in Australia and to encourage more Australians to make bequests to charities in their wills.

nclude a Charity - a coalition of Australian charities - is about to undergo a strategic change in order to transform the landscape of bequest giving in Australia. This organisation is now opening itself up to the sector and asking more charities to join the coalition. Its aim is to unite to increase the number of people leaving a gift to charity in their will. Currently only eight per cent of Australians leave a bequest to charity in their will, and one of Include a Charityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aims is to double this figure by 2020, by expanding the coalition to create a large consortium of charities. This increase would equate to an additional $577 million being donated to charity through bequests, and Include a Charity is asking new members to join the coalition and help them reach this goal. Launched to the Australian public in 2006, Include a Charity was originally funded by some of Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading charities.

Fundraising Institute Australia

This structural change will enable the coalition to mirror that of the successful UK and Irish model, where a large consortium of charities, of all sizes, helped fund a social change campaign which has resulted in a four per cent increase in the number of people leaving a gift in their will. On the local Australian front, a three-year creative campaign has been developed, drawing on new advertising on TV, radio, in print, online, and integrated public relations activity. Current Include a Charity members include the Heart Foundation, Cancer Council Australia and the Cerebral Palsy Foundation. This latest development at Include a Charity provides a unique opportunity for the charity sector to come together on a project that could transform the level of giving and potentially benefit all Australian charities and their causes. Welcome on board! For details visit www.includeacharity.com.au

Ethics

ETHICAL DILEMMAS... there’s NO easy answer by PATRICK MCCLURE AO

“Ethical dilemmas are often the hard decisions that we have to make between two relatively poor options, that is, the lesser of two evils.”

ecently I ran a one-day executive course in Sydney on “Making Ethical Decisions in Third Sector Organisations” for 12 CEOs and senior executives. The program introduced participants to various approaches to examining ethical

issues as well as an ethical decisionmaking model that is a useful tool for CEOs, executive teams and boards in identifying and resolving the ethical dilemmas they face in the sector.

One of the case studies based on a real situation is as follows. “You are the CEO of a not-for-profit organisation. The organisation has a range of services and expertise in working with young people and counselling families at risk. The organisation has spent considerable time in researching best practice in working with indigenous young people in remote communities. The Board has approved a decision to develop an innovative service for indigenous youth in the Northern Territory, providing education and employment opportunities for young people and counselling and support services for their families. While there are major issues in some indigenous communities in Australia with young people and children being abused and family members dependent on alcohol, drugs and tobacco, there are also positive signs of young people finding pathways to education and employment in other communities. Your research also shows that similar types of services have been successful in getting good outcomes for young indigenous people in terms of education and jobs. You are confident that your service will be successful and will provide a good pilot program that may attract federal government funding in the long-term.

The capital and ongoing costs for the service and its facilities are substantial. Your organisation has launched a $300,000 appeal to raise funds for the costs of staff, services and acquisition of a building. The state and federal ministers have expressed support for the program, but they are both facing budget deficits in their portfolios and can only provide a total of $100,000. You have also asked for funding from high-networth individuals, foundations and corporations. The response to date has been disappointing, as their funds seem to be already committed. One individual has offered you $50,000. Unexpectedly you are approached by an international tobacco corporation which states that it is interested in making a donation of $150,000 towards the project. You meet with the CEO and GM Marketing of the company. They express support for the service, but state that they would appreciate public recognition of their contribution. They request a joint press release expressing appreciation for their corporate citizenship. In addition they request naming rights for the building that your organisation will acquire. What would you do as CEO?”

July / August 2010

Ethics Like most ethical dilemmas this case has no easy answer. Ethical dilemmas are often the hard decisions that we have to make between two relatively poor options, that is, the lesser of two evils. There are a number of approaches that we could use in working through this case study. If we were to look at it from an outcome-based approach we would ask what is the outcome or consequence of accepting funds from the tobacco company. We could argue that the funds would be used for the purpose of developing an innovative service for indigenous youth in the Northern Territory, providing education and employment opportunities for young people and counselling and support services for their families who often are dysfunctional. This outcome would certainly greatly benefit the youth and their families. It could be argued that the end of assisting indigenous youth and families justifies the use of funds from a tobacco company. In addition, we could use a duty-based approach. This states that an action is ethical if it is a good general rule for people to follow. Principles are paramount and they guide our behaviour regardless of the outcome. In this case the principle is that tobacco is harmful and causes illness and death, and this means that we could not accept funds from a tobacco company even if the cause it is funding is assisting indigenous youth. In addition our organisation may have a code of ethics relating

to partnerships which states that it cannot partner with a corporation whose goods and services are in conflict with our organisation’s mission and values. We could also examine the case from a characterbased approach. This approach asks the question: what would an individual with practical wisdom do in this situation? It would examine whether there is a middle path between the extremes of accepting the funds without conditions or refusing the funds outright. This might mean saying to the tobacco company that if our organisation accepts the funds it would be on the basis that there would be no joint media release or naming rights. The company would simply be acknowledged for its contribution in the annual report. In making the decision we also need to take into account our stakeholders: what would be the attitude of our staff, donors, government, the media and the public if we were to accept or refuse the funds? Finally we might also apply the “sunlight test”. Would we be happy to defend our decision if it was printed on the front page of the newspaper? The process of using an ethical decision-making model in resolving dilemmas ensures that, whatever our final decision is, it is informed, has been rigorously examined and is able to be defended in public. Patrick McClure, AO is Ethics Fellow, Third Sector, a joint role of the St James Ethics Centre and the Centre for Social Impact, UNSW

Print National Advert to drop in

Fundraising Institute Australia

Ethics

FIA MEMBERSHIP = commitment to transparency

This issue of “Advancing Fundraising” brings members the first of a regular column on the role of the FIA’s Ethics Committee and its deliberations.

he FIA’s Ethics Committee has recently considered a complaint in relation to alleged fraudulent taking of a charity’s funds by a former FIA member. The funds were alleged to have been taken by the member forging a signature. The employer assisted FIA with its investigation and FIA received credible evidence of the fraud. After the alleged conduct, the former member repaid the money and voluntarily resigned. The employer did not seek police involvement.

“The FIA is committed to robust enforcement of high ethical standards.” The Ethics Committee determined the member had engaged in professional misconduct. There were significant adverse consequences to the profession and the public interest as a result of the alleged behaviour, and it was apparently committed intentionally.

Permanent expulsion The committee determined an appropriate action was permanent expulsion from FIA membership, including revocation of credentialing if applicable. The former member was then entitled to respond to this determination, but did not renew membership, and the case was closed. The FIA constitution provides that expulsion of a member may be permanently and publicly recorded on the FIA website. FIA members upon joining, and each year on renewing membership, must certify their acceptance of the FIA’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and the other

Principles and Standards of Fundraising Practice. The FIA is committed to wide education within the profession and robust enforcement of high ethical standards. It welcomes confidential queries from members about ethical matters and interpretation of all the Principles and Standards.

Formal complaints FIA members and the public are both encouraged to make formal complaints about perceived breaches of the Principles and Standards by FIA members. The FIA is to be commended for its commitment to transparency and involvement of external opinion in implementing its professional standards. The FIA board has appointed Professor Peter Shergold AC, Macquarie Group Foundation Professor at the Centre for Social Impact, as a person independent of FIA and the fundraising profession to chair the Ethics Committee, and also appointed several other independent members.

The FIA Ethics Committee comprises: • Professor Peter Shergold AC – chair (Centre for Social Impact, UNSW)) • Lesley Ray FFIA CFRE (Mater Foundation) • Dr Ted Flack FFIA (St Vincent De Paul) • Cynthia Nadai (St James Ethics Centre) • Naomi Steer MFIA (Australia For UNHCR) • Vera Visevic MFIA (Makinson & d’Apice Lawyers) • Roewen Wishart EMFIA CFRE (Bush Heritage Australia) • Professor Myles McGregor-Lowndes OAM – appeals officer (Centre of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies, QUT)

Please do not hesitate to contact the FIA Ethics Committee on any matters that you believe to be of ethical concern. Direct your matter to the FIA’s education and professional standards manager, Prabhleen Ahuja at pahuja@ fia.org.au

July / August 2010

Profile

minutes with Perpetual’s Andrew Thomas by PEGGY HAILSTONE

This is the first in a series of profiles of leading figures in the fundraising sector to be featured in “Advancing Fundraising”

s Perpetual’s General Manager, Philanthropy,

Andrew Thomas oversees the operation of around 450 charitable trusts Australia-wide. With a distribution of around $40 million per annum, and with responsibility for a philanthropic team spread across Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney, Mr Thomas heads up the largest philanthropic body in the country. While the disbursement and operational scale may seem somewhat imposing, Mr Thomas is open and humble about his role, explaining it as “great fun”

which provides the donor the option of naming rights, tax deductibility and the comfort of knowing that their nominated organisation will receive ongoing income each year in perpetuity to support the organisation’s activities.” When talking about philanthropy, Mr Thomas is quick to point out that it’s not just about disbursing funds. “It’s about getting the legal structure right, it’s about getting the right investment strategy and the underlying investments for the trust to produce a consistent income stream.

“Charitable trusts are a real opportunity for nonprofit organisations.”

and “a privilege to be in”. A keen advocate for education and industry professionalisation, Mr Thomas says his own philanthropic learning and knowledge have been aided by being “on the other side” and by studying philanthropy in other countries. Being “on the other side” involved a six-and-a-half year stint as executive director of a non-profit organisation - The

It’s also about having appropriate compliance in place for your tax and legal issues,” he says. Mr Thomas agrees it’s also about sustainability. “You’ve got to maximise your impact to the community in the decisions you make as to where the money is distributed. And that’s really the core of our philanthropic philosophy.”

Surf Life Saving Foundation. Studying in other countries has involved conference attendance in the United States, United Kingdom and Europe over a three-year period. This practical education, combined with spending time with like-minded organisations, is something Mr Thomas strongly believes will aid maturation of our own industry.

So what type of philanthropy does Perpetual do? According to Mr Thomas almost all the 450 trusts under his jurisdiction have different areas of focus. Around 75 per cent of established trusts are prescriptive; they have a clearly designated criteria or a particular organisation they will fund. The remaining 25 per cent disburse funds based on decisions made with a level of discretion by the trustees. Mr Thomas believes charitable trusts are a real opportunity for non-profit organisations. “If you’ve got a donor who’s looking to give, they may well give a lot more if there’s an appealing trust structure

Fundraising Institute Australia

Andrew Thomas, General Manager, Philanthropy, Perpetual

Profile

On the Perpetual website, one of the key objectives listed is “best-practice philanthropy”. Thomas says this is simply about making a difference. “Whether it be arts, social welfare, health, environment or medical research, they’ve all got very different outcomes.” But at the heart of it, they are all about creating positive change.

What is the state of philanthropy in Australia? When asked about the Australian philanthropic industry generally and the current climate specifically, Mr Thomas says two major issues have caused concern over the past 18 months: the global financial crisis (GFC) and the introduction of the private ancillary fund legislation (PAF).

A 66 per cent increase in funding applications “reflects the increasing professionalism of Australian charitable organisations”. “As an industry the GFC certainly slowed new philanthropists because of the negative economic affects. In terms of existing philanthropists, they really looked at nonprofits to be doing exactly what everyone else was doing - either in their household budget or the corporate budget - and that was focusing on core business and trimming everything else out.” The major industry concern around the PAF legislation was the publicly suggested distribution rate of 15 per cent of assets. While eventually resolved and agreed at five per cent - an outcome the industry was happy with, Mr Thomas believes a more timely resolution would have been better. The negative side-affect of the lengthy negotiation process was that philanthropists thinking of setting up a PAF held off. The net result for non-profits and charitable organisations was less money for projects and programs. Mr Thomas also highlights the significant increase in funds being sought through trusts and foundations. In 2008, Perpetual received 745 applications seeking a total of $41.5 million. This year, 917 applications were received for a total of $68.9 million, a massive 66 per cent increase in dollar terms in two years. While it could be argued that this is indicative of a difficult economic environment, exacerbated by the pulling back of other funding bodies and major donors, Mr Thomas says it also positively reflects the increasing professionalism of Australian charitable organisations.

While Perpetual’s investment and disbursement strategy was unchanged during the GFC, Thomas says it’s a situation he’s not keen to revisit. “Non-profits need constancy in gifts and giving. They are far better off with $70,000 per year for three years without fluctuation, then $100,000 last year, $20,000 this year, and $90,000 next year.”

What are the keys to a successful funding application? Of the 900-plus applications received in the 2010 Perpetual funding round, just under one- third will gain funding. For the non-profit organisation, it’s a tough gig. Perpetual endeavours to make the process as open and transparent as possible by visiting every capital city, holding forums, uploading information to their website, and providing information on previous years’ funding outcomes. The onus then is on the non-profit organisation to analyse their resources and decide where they are best allocated. One of the keys to philanthropic funding, Mr Thomas says, is measurement and evaluation. “If you’re not evaluating what you’re doing, how do you know you’re actually making a difference? How do you know you’re actually getting to the core of the issue and not just treating the outside of the issue?” Mr Thomas says Perpetual’s expectation is not about costly evaluations or complex “social return on investment” calculations, but about encouraging measurement. To aid this process, Perpetual is looking at facilitating a number of measurement education classes later in 2010.

Peggy Hailstone, director of Research Edit Write, is a Melbourne-based professional writer and communicators contractor working in the notfor-profit area. Contact Pegga at phailstone@ researcheditwrite.com.au.

July / August 2010

Legal advice

Wills & fulfilling good intentions Bequests to charities are an appreciated and highly valued source of funds. However, despite a testator or testatrix’s good intentions, there are often legal obstacles that prevent the charity from receiving (and possibly keeping) whole or part of the gift. The wording of the bequest, the nature of the interest given and a competing claim to the estate are examples of causes of legal disputes.

By LOUISE RIGOZZI

his article considers two common problems facing bequests to charities - the failure to correctly identify a charity in a will, and gifts for purposes that are not desirable or practical to the charity.

Incorrect identification of the charity Incorrectly identifying a charity in a will can delay or even prevent the distribution of the gift to the charity. What ultimately happens to the gift will often depend on the testator or testatrix’s intention. This intention is determined by the court on the basis of admissible evidence (if any) and in accordance with principles established by case law. Incorrectly identifying a charity in a will can delay or even prevent the distribution of the gift to the charity. A charity may be incorrectly described in a number of ways, including the following: 1. The charity never existed, is no longer in existence, or has been reconstituted and renamed. 2. The gift is to a geographical “branch” of the charity that does not exist. 3. The gift is to a lay description of the charity, rather than its formal name or trading name. 4. The charity is not a separate legal entity capable of receiving a gift. What ultimately happens to the gift will often depend on the testator or testatrix’s intention. This intention is determined by the court on the basis of admissible evidence

Fundraising Institute Australia

(if any) and in accordance with principles established by case law. The court may then: 1. Order that on the construction of the will the gift was intended to be made to a particular charity. 2. Rectify the will (that is, vary the terms of the will to reflect the testator or testatrix’s intentions). 3. Order an alternative charity or trustee be found to administer the gift. 4. Order the gift be administered in a certain way or for a certain purpose in accordance with a scheme (such as a “cy-prés” scheme, that is, a scheme which applies the gift in accordance with the underlying general charitable purpose) if, for example, there is sufficient uncertainty as to which charity is the intended recipient of the gift - and a charity may receive the gift under this scheme. 5. Find that the gift has failed and passes as an intestacy. A “cy-pres” scheme is an order to carry out the testator or testatrix’s intentions as closely as possible and in accordance with the underlying general charitable purpose. For example, in the recent case of Tantau v MacFarlane [2010] NSWSC 224 (Tantau), the Supreme Court of New South Wales found that a gift to the “Art Gallery of Victoria” (which does not exist) could be construed or rectified as a gift to the National Gallery of Victoria on the evidence before it. In Tantau, the deceased referred to the Art Gallery of Victoria as possessing a painting by E. Phillips Fox, “The Arbour”, in her draft will when in fact this painting was held by the National Gallery of Victoria. On the basis of this evidence, the will was rectified and the gift did not fail.

Legal advice

An undesirable or impractical purpose Even if the gift does not fail, it may be that the gift has a condition or purpose attached to it that the recipient charity does not find desirable or practical. A charity may wish to refuse to accept a gift on the terms set out in the will for reasons including the following: 1. The charity is unable to comply with the testator’s or testatrix’s direction, because it is limited by its constitution or otherwise. 2. Execution of a direction attached to the gift carries a high administrative cost, or is otherwise impracticable or uncertain. 3. The direction is not in accordance with the charity’s policy or usual course of conduct. For example, in Tantau, the testatrix directed that the gift to the art gallery was for the purpose of creating a particular annual award. The National Art Gallery of Victoria, however, did not wish to be trustee of the annual award because it “is primarily a collecting institution and not a promoter or awarder of prizes”. The court ordered for an alternative trustee to be found to administer the gift. A second example is Re Lysaght (deceased) [1965] 2 All ER 888, where the Royal College of Surgeons refused to accept a gift for scholarships to British-born students “not of the Jewish or Roman Catholic faith”. The court found that this discriminatory direction was an inessential part of the testatrix’s intention and that the gift would fail if the college did not accept it. The court deleted the discriminatory direction.

Thus, in some circumstances a charity may be able to have the bequest modified and the property granted to them under a cy-prés scheme. However, amongst other things, cy-prés schemes require that the bequest be supported by a general charitable intention, and not all charitable bequests are supported by a general charitable intention.

Charities should publish a recommended bequest clause Charities should publish on their websites a suggested bequest clause. These clauses should identify the name of the charity and enable the gift to be used for the charity’s general purposes. Charities should also seek to persuade potential donors that gifts subject to legally binding directions, while gratefully accepted, are less desirable than gifts for general purposes. For example, a gift for a specific purpose might be rendered less effective if at the time the gift is received by the charity, the specific purpose no longer exists. If potential donors insist on attaching conditions to their gifts, then charities should seek to have a discretion to use the gift for general purposes if the conditions cannot be fulfilled. Legal advice should always be sought before resolving issues and taking any actions considered in this article, and as such this article is not intended to be relied upon. Louise Rigozzi is a lawyer at Makinson & d’Apice Lawyers in Sydney. Please contact Vera Visevic or John Baxter for further information.

Neuroscience Research Australia Lapsed donors attracted back by name change

eading medical research institute Neuroscience Research Australia launched its new name and identity at Parliament House in Sydney in June 2010. “Our new name better reflects the scope of the work we do and our ambitions for the future,” neuroscientist and Neuroscience Research Australia executive director Professor Peter Schofield said. Neuroscience Research Australia started out as the Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute in 1993. Now with more than 260 researchers, it is one of the largest medical research institutes in the country and is

recognised globally for its research in Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, spinal cord injury, diseases of the nervous system such as motor neurone disease, and preventing falls in the elderly. Neuroscience Research Australia has already received positive feedback from donors on the name change with several donors who have not given for some time - years in some cases - responding to the recent end of financial year direct mail appeal, the first to go out under the new name and identity. “We believe our work is crucial because our research covers illnesses that touch the lives of many Australians,” said Professor Schofield. “We’re very excited about the future of neuroscience research in Australia and our role in it.” At the launch of the name change are (from left to right) Neuroscience Research Australia executive director Professor Peter Schofield, Telstra chair Catherine Livingstone, Minister for Science and Medical Research - Jodi McKay, NeuRA carer Jan Woodmore and NeuRA chairman Paul Brassil. July / August 2010

Inspiration

Make mine a triple shot... I have to read the case for support!

by BRIAN HOLMES FFIA

was recently reviewing an organisation’s case for support and found myself yawning! Don’t get me wrong, it was well written and contained all the right information, but... As fundraisers we learn early that the case for support is the most important document that an organisation can have if it is seeking philanthropic support. We spend hours painstakingly honing this foundation document that tells the world why they should give to our organisation. However, we don’t always get it right. Over the years I have learnt to ask four key questions when reviewing a fundraising case for support.

1. Is it pleading or is it compelling? Please, please, please don’t plead. Your organisation doesn’t have needs. People have needs. Your organisation has the solution. The word compelling is defined as, “having a powerful and irresistible effect; requiring acute admiration, attention or respect”. It comes from the Latin word “pellere” meaning “to get or bring about by force and power”. Don’t be a fundraising wimp, present a case that is powerful and persuasive.

2. Is it optional or is it imperative? I hate the word “hopefully”! What a weak and insipid word it is. When someone says “hopefully” you know they have no conviction that it really will happen. I use “hopefully” when asked if I’ll be home from the football in time to visit the inlaws. You may as well use the Hugh Grant method of fundraising: “Well, actually it would be really nice if you, well only if you want to of course, but you would be a jolly nice fellow if you did.” If you cannot ask someone to give with a conviction that their gift will make a difference, then don’t ask them to give. The solution your organisation provides cannot be optional. Imperative means “absolutely necessary, unavoidable”. Is it optional that your donors should give or absolutely necessary? The donor’s consideration will be a reflection of your conviction.

Fundraising Institute Australia

3. Is it wearisome or is it motivating?

A case for support can be a bit like a business breakfast. Most of them mean just another early start and cold scrambled eggs, but every now and then one of them captures my attention, makes me take notice and I walk away telling everyone about it. When I read about the needs people have and what an organisation is doing to provide a solution, I really don’t want to have that “will this never end?” feeling. I want to be inspired; I want to be motivated to act. I need that emotional recharge that provides me with the energy to “do” rather than just “know”.

4. Is it verbose or is it succinct?

If like me verbal brevity is not your strong point, what do you do? Well, you use a long illustration to get the point across. Recently my iPhone told me that I had run out of room and that I should organise my media files through iTunes. For those of you still using fax machines that meant I had too many songs and I needed to get rid of some. So in iTunes I clicked a little menu item called “Display Duplicates”. Lo and behold, many of the songs were listed multiple times. For example the Eagles, Hotel California was listed with three different versions from three different recordings not to mention the version in French recorded by The Cat Empire. I kept the best version and removed the duplicates. I’m still able to sing along to the song when I’m sitting on the plane with my headphones on, but I have reduced the clutter by at least 66 per cent. Reduce the clutter in your case, look for duplications of paragraphs, then phrases and finally words. If you can de-duplicate your duplications you will find there is less duplication. I think I have said that succinctly. So there it is - just a few thoughts on how to make your case for support compelling, imperative, motivating and succinct. Time we all went and got another coffee, I guess. Make mine a triple shot.

Technology

Successful software implementation for not-for-profits

by PAUL RAMSBOTTOM

Investing in technology and selecting new software is a major decision for any organisation, and can be particularly challenging to implement on time and under budget. The following tips can help not-for-profits achieve a successful software implementation. Setting goals Select a trusted vendor that has experience in, specific knowledge of and positive customer references from your industry. Define project goals with the vendor prior to implementation and map each goal back to the organisation’s corporate-level objectives. Announce the project goals to all staff at the start of the project so you can solicit feedback from end users and measure progress checkpoints throughout the implementation.

Project preparation It’s essential to work out staff issues or concerns prior to the software installation. Clear direction needs to be given from the leadership team and staff should be informed about what to expect from the process prior to software implementation. It’s also helpful to provide an overview of the software and some pre-training so they can start to become familiar with the new system. Perform a cleanup of current data to ensure databases are in the best shape possible before moving to the new software.

Building the team The leadership team needs to be actively engaged in software

implementations and flexible when required to change operational processes. View the vendor’s staff as trusted advisors who will lead the organisation through the implementation process, while validating it and training staff along the way. Choose a few well-respected early adopters from across the organisation who will answer staff questions and provide guidance.

Implementation process Use a proven methodology such as the Project Management Institute’s, to focus the implementation process. The phases include: 1. Business software review Understand and document business requirements, and plan how these requirements will be delivered using the new software. 2. System design and set up Teach early adopters how to use the new system. Map data and create, execute and review test conversions. 3. Key process development Resolve gaps using extension tools; evaluate standard reports and develop custom ones, document new policies and procedures, and execute additional test conversions based on previous results and modifications.

4. End user training Ensure people who will be using the system are trained, well before the new software goes live. 5. Go live The final data conversion based on modifications from the previous test conversions should be made, the new solution should be turned on, and the legacy solution should be turned off.

Post implementation There are a number of ways notfor-profits can continue to improve their operational processes post implementation and your selected vendor should have established programs that help you do this. You can also try holding “lunch and learn” sessions to provide staff with an opportunity to discuss any questions or issues they are experiencing in an informal environment. When you decide to invest in new software, it can have a major effect on your organisation’s daily tasks. Following these best practice tips can help make the implementation a smoother and more organised process. Paul Ramsbottom is the managing director of Advanced Solutions International (ASI) Asia Pacific - the developers of iMIS.

July / August 2010

Technology

Disaster Recover y and Business Continuit y Planning

by IAN RYDER

Does the mere mention of disaster recovery and business continuity planning send the finance director running for the cupboard clutching the cheque book? If so, it needn’t be that way.

ike almost anything else in life, if you really want to spend a fortune on disaster recovery and business continuity planning you probably can. There are Rolls Royce ways of doing things with any number of providers out there happy to help relieve you of your dollars, or there are lots of commonsense practical ways of doing things that don’t cost the earth. Where to start? Well, just like putting locks on your house you need to understand the reality of what it is you need. If you live in a nice neighbourhood with no crime and you don’t have that much to take, maybe you just need a sturdy lock and you’re all done. If you live in the Bronx and you collect rare diamonds maybe you need a bit more! So as an organisation it’s about understanding what it is you need. If you run a crisis helpline where downtime could result in real tragedies then you really need to be up and running no matter what. From a technology point of the view, the world has moved on a lot over the last two or three years, and there are a number of ways that newly mainstream technologies can make the

process of getting your systems back up and running much easier. Next time you need to replace your servers and network make sure you look at how virtualisation can take away the problem of having your network tied to particular hardware. A virtualised server environment means that, if your hardware fails, you can just drop a copy of your server installation onto a new virtual server and you’re back up and running again as if nothing happened. Gone are the days of having to rebuild the whole lot from scratch – just make sure you have up-to-date copies. New web-based applications also take away many of the headaches that have meant you had to think about these things. If you get your accounting or fundraising system delivered over the web then the provider absolutely should have DR and BCP plans way beyond anything you could ever think of. Just make sure you ask the questions about whether they do when you’re thinking of buying their service. If your offices are out maybe your staff can just go to the local internet café

and carry on or maybe they can work from home. Technology is just one aspect of DR and BCP, one of the most important these days but without considering the human side of things as well the plan will never be complete. How do you communicate with people, where do they go, who will take charge? Simple questions, but ones that are well worth having asked well before the pressure is on and you need to act. The internet is a great resource if you’re looking to start out. Sites such as http://www.disaster-recovery-guide. com/ offer good practical tips and can at least help you get the process off the ground.

Ian Ryder is the managing director of appiChar Australia which provides a range of IT services to the not-for-profit sector. Visit their website http://www.appichar.com.au/ or email Ian at i.ryder@appichar.com.au

Managed IT services for the not-for-profit sector

appiChar IT services for total peace of mind Now more-than-ever IT is key to the success of every organisation so if you are making do with support that doesn’t really work, maybe it’s time to look for something that does. appiChar Australia is the IT department for the not-for-profit sector. We have over 10 years experience of developing and managing the IT infrastructure for organisations including:

To discuss further: 02 8003 4598 | info@appichar.com.au | www.appichar.com.au

Fundraising Institute Australia

advancing fundraising

“Advancing Fundraising is extremely well-presented, and a great looking, reader-friendly publication. It’s an excellent marketing tool for anyone providing products or services in the fundraising sector.” Marty Rhone MFIA CFRE CPM, Director, Fundraising Dynamics

15% advertising discount for members… OR… 10% discount for not-for-profit organisations And your advertisement will keep working for you now the new-look Advancing Fundraising is on the FIA website.  Advertising in Advancing Fundraising will give you brand exposure to more than 5000 fundraising contacts across Australia and overseas.  Promoting your business through the FIA as the peak body gives your company even greater credibility with the fundraising sector. Magazine edition September/October 2010 November/December 2010 January/February 2011 March/April 2011 May/June 2011

Copy deadline 31 Aug 2010 22 Oct 2010 10 Dec 2010 28 Feb 2011 14 April 2011

Publication 24 Sept 2010 22 Nov 2010 25 Jan 2011 21 March 2011 12 May 2011

For details visit the FIA’s website at www.fia.org.au now or phone Gail Knox on 02 9411 5911 or email gknox@fia.org.au

FIA ORGANISATIONAL MEMBERSHIP Organisational membership of the Fundraising Institute Australia signifies your organisation is a leader in the fundraising sector. As an organisational member, you demonstrate your commitment to transparency and accountability through adopting the highest standards of ethical fundraising practice by signing up to the Principles and Standards of Fundraising Practice.

Key Benefits 9 9 9 9

9 9

One nominated staff member receives full membership status. Ability to link individual members to organisational membership (Multiple Membership) A flat fee structure – simplifying fees and making it more affordable Use of the FIA’s organisational member logo to demonstrate your organisation’s commitment to accountability and transparency in fundraising – to your donors, employees, the profession and the wider community. Regular emails to provide your organisation with vital information on policy decisions affecting the nonprofit sector. Public list of organisational members, giving your organisation public recognition of its commitment to FIA’s Principles and Standards of Fundraising Practice. Confidential advice on ethical issues. Discounted email distribution service to FIA members to promote your organisation, its events and recruitment opportunities.

“As an Organisational member of FIA, we demonstrate our commitment to achieving the highest standards of fundraising practice. The use of FIA Organisational member logo enables us to show this commitment to our donors.” Derek Minett, CEO, North Shore Heart Research Foundation & FIA Organisational Member Director Please visit the FIA’s website to access the organisation membership for or contact us at: FUNDRAISING INSTITUTE AUSTRALIA PO BOX 642 CHATSWOOD NSW 2057 Tel: +61 2 9411 6644 Fax: +61 2 9411 6655 Email: memberservices@fia.org.au Web: www.fia.org.au Fundraising Institute Australia ABN 51 943 541 450