I make no apologies for being nostalgic! For good fundraising reasons. Read on
· Making my first ask for money (aged 14) to a meals on wheels client who lifted her skirt and there were her knickers stuffed with £5 notes.
· 1983 I won my first and only DM award (11% cold acquisition of new donors for Order of St John). Those were the days!
· Being one of the founding members of the CIOF (then called the Institute of Charity Fundraising Managers) in 1983.
· Accepting, from a multi-millionaire American donor, quarterly donations of a large number of cases of White Horse whiskey to distribute to St John Ambulance volunteers (he had fallen over drunk at Ascot Races – volunteers saved him).
· Going to number10 Downing Street to meet Maggie Thatcher who asked CAF to start the Community Foundation movement in UK (I was a Director of CAF).
· Presenting to 400 Trusts and Foundations in USA (Los Angeles) on our progress on founding community foundations in UK. Trouble was my flight was late and I got to the reception, downed two Bourbons and stood up speaking total gibberish.
· Appearing on the 9 o’clock news on BBC launching Give as you Earn (I was still at CAF) and the final question: “So Richard, have you signed up?” . Being honest I replied “Ah, no not yet but I will tomorrow”
· 1990 started doing legacy consultancy. First client: RNLI
· 1997 becoming a Director of Smee & Ford (resigned 2006)
· Going to Moscow 30 years ago, to train, for the first time ever, fundraisers in legacy conversations. Only one word was said by all HeT = nyet = NO! Total failure.
· The plenary at the first Malaysian fundraising conference. I was doing the final one but at 10 minutes notice was asked to do the opening plenary. I asked a beautiful girl called Rosie to come on stage. I went down on one knee and asked her to marry me. She shot about 10 steps back. All I said was “fundraising is the same. Understand your prospects before you ask”. She took me out for my first street food meal. Petaling Food market. WOW.
· Becoming Chair of the CIOF conference for four years and renaming it the Convention, which still holds
· Becoming Chair of the International Fundraising Conference for two years and renaming it Congress. which still holds today.
· Being the only presenter at IFC to get a 100% perfect evaluation of a masterclass (21 delegates). But maybe that does not still hold.
· Getting my words muddled introducing the awesome HRH Princess Royal to do the keynote address at the CIOF Convention and inadvertently insulting her. So embarrassing. Full story when I retire! Also meeting eight other members of the Royal Family without putting my foot in my mouth. YAY. I met one more, unexpectedly, in a focus group.
· Having the privilege of my clients trusting me to meet their 37,000 supporters (so far!) to find out their insights to inform legacy strategies.
· Presenting with Rabbi Hugo Gryn to compare his Auschwitz experiences and Jewish legacy giving with Catholic persecution and legacy giving. Never have I felt so humbled. And I cried.
· Listening to Iranian widows who had witnessed executions of their family members (husbands and children) in front of them. The most emotional and devastating moment I have ever, or will ever, experience.
· Meeting “different” supporters in focus groups: Wonderful large black supporter in London, Ontario who said “My god this is the first time I have fallen in love with a white man”.
· Meeting Pope John Paul 2nd who then left a legacy of £250,000 to his university.
· Holding focus groups + developing strategies for all three major UK political parties and presenting the outcomes at their party conferences.
· Training two UK Prime Ministers on how to communicate legacy giving.
· Being awarded the lifetime achievement award by CIOF in 2018
· Publishing my first book on legacy fundraising in 2018
· Next milestone 2029: when I hope I will be celebrating 50 years in fundraising
I am so bloody lucky to have had such a diverse fascinating informative life which I have no intention of leaving as long as my mind and brain continue to have great health. When I do, I will write my second legacy book which is likely to be highly controversial. It might have to be published after my death!
PS As we age, nostalgia kicks in: ask your supporters for their memories. It is a great legacy tool. Now, perhaps I should update my Will……
#nostalgia #CIOF #cagp #legacyfundraising #legacies #charities #fundraising #philanthropy #resource-alliance