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| Path: Main Street : Resources & Library : Research Articles : Feature Article |
Both fundraisers and public affairs staff create the culture for cultivationMarch 26, 1997; Canadian FundRaiser
Fundraisers and public affairs staff must work together to "intelligently advocate the mission of their organizations," said Dianne Lister, president of the Hospital for Sick Children Foundation. Lister moderated a recent joint meeting of the Toronto Chapter of the National Society of Fund Raising Executives (NSFRE) and the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) where panelists discussed the challenges of Creating the Culture for Cultivation.
The panel discussion group included Susan Bloch-Nevitte, director of public affairs at the University of Toronto, Tim Hurson, president of Tim Hurson Enterprises, Ross McGregor, chairman and CEO of Ketchum Canada, and Nicholas Offord, president of Mount Sinai Hospital Foundation.
McGregor discussed the move from fundraising by "shotgun" cultivation - where large numbers of prospects are targeted for support - to "rifle shot" cultivation, which targets fewer prospects with greater precision. Such targeting suggests a limited need for broadly-based awareness campaigns. Bloch-Nevitte, however, argued that education and public awareness campaigns help to build affinity with an institution, and these efforts make it possible to perform such targeted asks.
No successful annual program without awareness
Offord also discussed the relationship between institutional awareness and fundraising success. He sketched the pyramid of support that underpins the most successful segment of his donor base. "I want to talk to the 1,000 people who make up 95 per cent of my revenue base, but I can't get those people without a successful annual program and I can't have a successful annual program without awareness."The relationship is not one-way though, as McGregor pointed out. "The single most important weakness in Canadian nonprofits," he said, "is the lack of stewardship. It's a smash and grab." He continued, "Donors want more meaningful and more consistent communications - this is where PR kicks in again to prepare for the next campaign."
The two consultants on the panel, McGregor and Hurson, also cautioned both fundraisers and public affairs practitioners about the dangers of looking inward too much and relying on the cause of the organization to generate effects in revenue generation and awareness. "We need to understand our place in society and look at markets and social trends," said Hurson, "Our job isn't to raise money - it's to create influence, to find value in the actions of the organization."
The panel concluded that the ties between fundraisers and public affairs staff are necessary, but reinforced their place as separate organizational functions. In the meantime, the committee for Fund Raising Day `97 in Toronto this May has added a special Communications Track in addition to its Introductory and Masters level streams. The NSFRE and CPRS plan to hold future joint meetings to share ideas about creating the culture for cultivation.
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