Enjoy the Silence? Working from Home Alone

October 14, 2010 Leave a comment

Image by Roland Tanglao, used under Creative Commons License http://www.flickr.com/photos/roland/304472910/

Working for yourself is lonely – or so people kept telling me when I told them I was setting up on my own.  However, one thing I can safely say is that since starting Activate Fundraising, I’ve been anything but lonely!  I’ve met clients from the arts, education and heritage; worked with board members and non-executives to deliver training and focus groups; ran sessions and held market research interviews with businesses in Edinburgh and Glasgow; had one to one interviews with community groups and schools and met fellow entrepreneurs and consultants at business networking groups, training and events – as well as having the opportunity to meet some of the people working in the businesses in my home town (something that I never had time to do when I was commuting to my job in the city).  In fact, despite having previously worked in an organisation with over 1400 employees, I reckon I’ve met more people in the last two years than I did in all my time in my last job!  Lonely?  I think not!

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November is Will Aid Month

October 11, 2010 Leave a comment

Image by Angus Macrae under Creative Commons License http://www.flickr.com/photos/36176995@N05/3371555112/

None of us want to think about dying but what will happen to your estate when you die if you don’t have a Will?  And, if you have dependents, you need to think about who will look after them should anything happen to you.  Never has there been a better time to plan for your future than now.  November is Will Aid month.  Make a Will with a local participating solicitor and make a donation to charity instead of paying the solicitor’s fee.  Suggested donation levels range from £40 for a codicil (an amendment to an existing Will), £75 to prepare a Will or £110 to have a pair of mirror Wills prepared, ideal if neither partner has organised their estate.  You don’t have to include a charitable legacy in your Will in order to take part in the initiative – although a solicitor can advise you on how best to do this given your own personal circumstances if you wish to. 

It’s estimated that over 60% of Britons don’t have a Will, so if you’re one of those, it’s worth considering taking part in Will Aid Month this year – I know I will be!

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Creative Fundraisers are Worth their Weight in Donations!

October 6, 2010 Leave a comment

Some of the best people I’ve worked for have been those who take a creative approach to fundraising, thinking outside the box and looking at the bigger picture.  Rather than just focusing on the project or campaign target, they have an ability to look at how other projects and programmes might link in with the one needing immediate funding.  Or they can see how to make the donors gift or sponsors investment really make a difference – to both organisation and donor.  I’ve been fortunate enough to have worked for a couple of really creative, focused people and I hope that I’ve learned from them along the way.

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Starting Out

October 2, 2010 Leave a comment

So why give up a secure, highly paid job to go it alone?  Well, one of the main reasons for starting Activate Fundraising was to have the opportunity to work with a variety of clients whose work I support and have an affinity with.  I knew it would be hard work – and it has been – but it has also been hugely rewarding working with clients both large and small on a range of campaigns and for projects as diverse as enhanced employability for young people to the restoration of key artworks by a leading Scottish artist.  As well as hands-on fundraising, I’ve also run focus groups and developed feasibility studies, helping clients to establish what they need; why they need it and how they can attract donors to support it.  There’s something incredibly motivational about starting work every day knowing that you’ll be speaking with different people, learning about new projects and helping organisations to raise the funds they need to realise their vision.  So while it might have been a bit scary, working for myself has been the best decision I’ve made.

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First Post!

September 29, 2010 Leave a comment

Well, this is my first post onto Activate Fundraising’s new website and hopefully the first of many.  I’ll be keeping readers updated on general news that might affect the world of fundraising, as well as more specific updates on developments in the arts, charities and education.  So welcome to Activate Fundraising, if you’ve any questions related to fundraising, please post them here or if you’d like to have a more indepth discussion about the needs of your organisation, email me at heather@activatelimited.com.  Looking forward to hearing from you!  Best wishes, Heather

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