Fundraisers might not have magic wands, but there are things they can do to work wonders on their charity’s performance, says Liz Tait.

Fundraisers don’t come with magic wands. It’s simple. To all trustees, chief executives and non-fundraising colleagues out there: we can’t just turn around the fortunes of your charity with a few pounds and within a matter of months. We’d love to and we’ll certainly try – we’re a passionate and tenacious lot after all – but there are many other elements that need to come into the mix if we are to create fundraising magic.

My experience so far has taught me that truly great and transformational fundraising relies on having three key factors in place at our charities:

1. Investment. It is critical to invest not only in fundraisers as individuals but in our activities. And it must be sustained over time as part of a long-term plan. This may require some difficult decisions between investing in delivering services to your beneficiaries today and the ability to deliver significantly greater impact in years to come (often beyond your lifetime at your charity).

2. People. More than anything fundraising success is all about people. We may not be magicians but (almost) every fundraiser is special, they choose a tough job and make amazing things happen. They inspire people about your cause and they engender support. Fundraisers therefore deserve to be cherished, nurtured and challenged so that your charity can make the most of their talents.

3. Belief. The special ingredient is believing passionately in the ability of fundraising to achieve game-changing goals and being brave enough to stick with an ambitious strategy. As fundraisers we need our organisations behind us. It’s when people work together, without silos, with the greater goal of the cause at heart, and with support from the wider organisation that magic really is created.

So as fundraisers we may not have wands but what more can we do to add our own sprinkle of magic? We need to believe in ourselves and our ability to change the world around us. It’s not easy, but then the best fundraising never is. We need to be:

• Making the case for investment and demonstrating what it will mean for the charity over time. And then delivering against our projections. Many charities do not achieve their full potential simply because their fundraisers are not showing their trustees what is possible and are not asking for help.
• Making evidence-based decisions and focusing our efforts on the activities most likely to generate the highest returns in the long term. When we’re surrounded by a world of opportunity this can be easier said than done, but because our time is a precious commodity everything we do comes at an opportunity cost, so we have to be passionate about prioritisation and remain focused.
• Building strong relationships with colleagues across the charity. We can go the extra mile to make their lives easier, help them understand how to support the charity’s fundraising efforts and make them a valued part of transforming the charity’s fortunes.
• Building special relationships with our donors and cherishing their support. Connecting them with our cause, creating exceptional communications and putting them at the heart of everything we do.
• Reminding ourselves why we are raising money and remembering the incredible difference fundraising can make to the lives of our beneficiaries. And on the tough days that we all inevitably have, finding the strength to carry on the fight for a better world.

We are privileged to work in one of the most rewarding professions there is and we have a responsibility to raise the most we possibly can. So we need to look for our own inner magic and ask ourselves ‘How can I be even better tomorrow than I am today?’ And do this every day. We should never stop striving to improve. I for one still have a lot to learn and I suspect I’m not alone.

Liz Tait has been director of fundraising at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home since 2010. Previously she was head of direct marketing at British Red Cross.