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Getting into International Development Fundraising Craig Pollard AMREF UK. Craig Pollard. Started fundraising career five years ago after spending tow years in Nigeria with VSO and training as an accountant with KPMG
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Getting into International Development Fundraising Craig Pollard AMREF UK
Craig Pollard • Started fundraising career five years ago after spending tow years in Nigeria with VSO and training as an accountant with KPMG • Many different types of fundraising – wealthy individuals, government funding, charitable trusts and foundations, major events, companies, and direct marketing • Worked with three organisations • Over The Wall • Turning Point • AMREF (the African Medical & Research Foundation)
Types of Fundraising • Donor Led – companies, trusts, government, wealthy individuals • Activity Led – direct marketing, event organising, supporter groups
Organisations • Large INGOs (e.g. UNICEF) • Large fundraising teams • Specialised roles (particularly first roles) • Many internal career paths • Smaller INGOs (e.g. AMREF) • Smaller teams • Wider fundraising roles • Freedom to improvise and explore interests
Key Skills of Fundraisers • Communication skills • Relationship building skills • Empathy with the cause and passion • Research skills • Well organised, eye for detail • Financially savvy • Project management • Presentation skills • Technical knowledge – fundraising and programmes
Benefits • Impact – raising a lot of money and following this through to seeing the difference this makes • Diversity within roles • Transferable skills are applicable • Good salary with long term career prospects • Interesting and challenging work • Plenty of travel to programmes • Working in an organisation you believe in
Getting your foot in the door • Notoriously difficult to get into International Development • Experience and skills are vital • Qualifications – Masters is becoming the norm • Professionalisation of the charity sector – corporate skills are vital • Volunteer and gain that experience, shows dedication and commitment • Look into gaining other corporate skills that are transferable and increasingly valuable • Training organisations (like www.fundraising taining.co.uk) • Direct approaches to INGOs are often welcome • Leverage your contacts
AMREF and Accenture • eLearning partnership between AMREF, Accenture and the Nursing Council of Kenya – addressing the chronic shortage of health workers by training nurses using new techniques • Corporate partnerships driving innovation in the sector • Classic example of how partnerships can deliver quality pieces of work and added advantages of professionalising the sector, increasing efficiency, introducing new business skills, etc.