To many outside the third sector the process of fundraising can appear misleadingly simple; raise as many funds as possible from wherever possible. However, the sophisticated fundraiser knows that before applying for any old pot of money, a responsible recipient will be asking the question: Is this particular pot of money appropriate? The answer is not necessarily simple. First of all, the voluntary sector is renowned for its strong principles - making a positive difference in the world. If a funding opportunity does not fit with the values of an organisation, no amount of splashing the cash can make the fund appealing. Also, funding can notoriously arrive with strings attached. A recipient organisation may not want the trouble of jumping through hoops or shifting priorities. So a fundraiser has to keep the balance between the need for cash that can fuel an organisation’s mission and the connotations that funding can bring with it. Contrary to the popular phrase, beggars can be choosers; and indeed they are. To make the choices a little easier, The Directory of Social Change has shared its approach to assessing the appropriateness of any funding opportunity.
Read the article at dsc.org.uk.
