Earlier this year we planned a fundraising webinar with the Findhorn Foundation (FF) as a case study and scheduled it in late April to share as much data as possible. In conversation recently with fundraising consultant Brett Cobb, he mentioned that it’s harder to fundraise in the second year of a crisis and the organisation needs to demonstrate how it’s been using the funds received to inspire ongoing donations.
Many of you are aware that on Monday the FF and Community lost two precious buildings to fire, the Community Center and Main Park Sanctuary. Who would have imagined such a crisis in the year following on from the enormity of the pandemic. Thank you to all for the outpouring of love and support that is so appreciated by the whole community. Simon and Brett are still ready to offer the webinar as planned. We invite you all to join what I’m sure will be a conversation of great depth combined with practical insights.
Date: Wed 21 Apr
Time 9am PDT
Theme: A Covid Fundraising Case Study: The Findhorn Foundation
Hosted by: Simon Stedman, Finance Director, FF and Brett Cobb, Fundraising Consultant
Duration: 90 mins
Overview
From the eleven months of the pandemic onset in March 2020 to the end of the organization’s fiscal year in January 2021, the Findhorn Foundation’s broad donor base grew nearly 400%, with funders increasing total donations by nearly 1,100%. Other centers may have received increased donations by a greater margin; others may have received less. At the same time, nearly all centers are making up for large reductions in other revenues, so there is far more work to do and challenges to be met along the way.
To be helpful for your program, in this webinar we discuss how donors to the Foundation responded most strongly in 2020. We will look at how the organization addressed its needs and reached out to its constituents that may be helpful for yours. And we’ll describe key elements that the organization (and yours) must address in fundraising for Year 2 of the pandemic, and beyond. Join us to explore key fundraising takeaways to be helpful for your fundraising program, with a robust Q&A to help you ensure that your organization can maximize its funding in 2021.
One key thing that I absolutely felt was non negotiable was that any fundraising activity that we carried out should be absolutely based in relationship. When I was introduced to Brett, who started talking about relational philanthropy and compassionate fundraising, that was what I was looking for.
Simon Stedman
- Some of the insights include
- Looking at the worst case scenario, knowing what the maximum is you need to ask for, even if people have a strong reaction to that
- The importance of bringing spirit into matter, of inner listening, and asking for support from the subtle or invisible allies
- Working to identify some of the blocks which might include an awkward relationship with money within the organisation
- Overcoming resistance to fundraising e.g. “We shouldn’t be fundraising, because that shows that we failed. Shifting perspective; “Cambridge University hasn’t failed, but they fundraise and Oxford University, they do quite a lot of fundraising as well.” Helping people shift their mindset around the consciousness of money, this money type quiz is a helpful tool
- Cultivating trust and abundance and healing the disconnect between money and spirituality
- Being aware of best practices as you break the ice and being willing to experiment
- The importance of decision making so that you continually have new information to communicate
Presenters
Simon Stedman is the Findhorn Foundation’s Finance Steward. Leaving a successful financial career in London for a community in Northern Scotland was the last thing on his mind. Then the Findhorn Angel tapped him on the shoulder in an extraordinary way. Now he is on the journey of his life! You can hear more about his story in an interview he did here.
Brett Cobb formed Compassionate Tampa Bay Consulting in 2016 based on his more than twenty years of nonprofit experience with major organizations in New York and Florida. He consults with Boards of Directors and nonprofit leaders, including the Findhorn Foundation. His fundraising work includes senior leadership roles at Omega Institute for Holistic Studies for nearly 8 years, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the New York Philharmonic, New York City Opera, and the Empire State Pride Agenda.Since 2015, Brett is also a Senior Teacher of Compassion Cultivation Training under the auspices of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at the Stanford University School of Medicine and The Compassion Institute.
We invite you to pop the dates of the 2021 webinars in your calendar and look forward to connecting again. HCN members receive the zoom invite via email. If you’d like to sign up for annual membership just click below. You can then join the live calls and access the recording via the members dashboard. If you have any questions please write to info@centersnetwork.org
This is our final webinar before the Virtual Gathering 3-6 May. You can view the inspiring program and book a place for your entire staff to attend. We look forward to connecting in this way and have some incredible speakers lined up. Take a peek!
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