20 Feb Why Fundraiser’s Do What They Do

I recenlty went to Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook and asked the following question:

‘Best thing about working in fundraising that doesn’t involve the phrase ‘making a difference’?’

And I received some lovely reasons as to what drives fundraiser’s all across the UK to get out of bed everyday and do keep doing what they do. I thought I would share a few with you….

• ‘Learning what your cause means to your donors – it’s often different and more complex than you’d expect.’
• ‘Being at the forefront of an initiative that can often change lives.’
• ‘Helping to tell hidden stories.’
• ‘Taking a donor on a journey that engages them to be inspired to continue to build on the relationship to the benefit of all – them, me as the fundraiser and the project/organisation…..’
• ‘Seeing the impact of my work on our families and the supporters who make it happen!’
• ‘The opportunity to draw upon a broad range of technical & creative skills and attend celebrity-clad wine tastings.’
• ‘Where a days work means something’

I’d agree with all the above, although disappointed I never got to go to any celebrity-clad wine tastings when I was a fundraiser!  It’s so easy to focus on the negative, and to see only the hard times so reminding ourselves why we keep on keeping on has, I think, got to be a good thing.