War Child works in some of the most dangerous, underserved regions of the world. Our local staff teams literally take the roads less travelled in conflict and post-conflict zones like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Sudan and several others. Signs of a positive impact from our work take time and commitment and can also be swept away in an instant. So how could I – a fundraiser in Toronto – possibly capture and convey to our donors the commitment, resilience, and challenges that our teams face on a daily basis?
This year I travelled to South Sudan to try to answer this question. I would visit our projects, take photos, interview staff and listen to the feedback and recommendations of our program participants. The idea being, that I’d return home with enough notes, recordings and photos to keep our stewardship and communications calendar packed for months ahead. I was to be a messenger for all the donors that couldn’t make the trip, and the future donors that want a first-hand account of where there funds will go, I would be be well-equipped to paint a vivid, emotional story.
By way of background, South Sudan is the world’s newest country. When it gained independence from Sudan in 2011, an entire generation had fought, and many died, in the hope of peace. In December 2013, conflict erupted and as of this month the UN reports over 1.6 million people are still internally displaced, 4.6 million are at risk of famine and malnourishment, and thousands are arriving weekly at camps throughout the country seeking safety, shelter, medicine, food and water.
I prepared for every perceived eventuality before I left. Multiple security briefings, emergency evacuation procedures, ensuring life insurance policies were paid up, and more vaccinations that I ever knew existed.
What I hadn’t prepared for was the life-changing effect that the visit would have on me, and the depth to which it would alter the way I approach and understand my role as a fundraising professional.
One morning in Malakal
In a camp under UN protection, I met with a group of young life-skills facilitators who work in the community to establish safe spaces and organize peacebuilding activities. I asked what the biggest problem people their age face in the camp? Without hesitation, 18 year-old Anita answered with one word – rape. I can recall that moment and the look in her eyes like it was yesterday. Couple that with the overwhelming scale of the response in that town alone by agencies and NGOs from all over the world, and I was left feeling incredibly small.
There are so many stories from my experience in South Sudan - far too many for this article. I did however, leave with a new clarity of vision for what my job as a professional fundraiser means. They are:
1. Competition is an opportunity, not a threat.
Donors don’t tire of unique opportunities, great stewardship, or too-good-to-miss chances to help. They do however, tire of the same ol’ same ol’. What’s attractive to donors right now? Cooperation for greater impact. It will show that you care about program results first – which is what they care about – and internal targets, branding, and ego second. Earlier this year the Slaight Foundation committed to a seven-figure gift shared across seven like-minded charities – a gift that would not have been possible without coordination and cooperation among each charity partner.
2. Donors deserve substance and context in every communication.
Regardless of how complex the rationale for your cause may be, you owe it to your donors to expand their understanding of what you do, why you do it, how and what you hope to accomplish, and when you’ll report back to them on progress. Will this be easy? No. Could it diminish the simplicity of your call to action? Possibly. My first-hand experience has been that it produces a deeper level of engagement that translates best into monthly commitment, increased gift amounts from loyal donors, and potentially even planned giving.
3. Get out of the way of a great story.
As a fundraiser, you’re a bridge between the donor and the end-result of their gift. Returning home from South Sudan, this was very real for me. I knew that there was no way other way to tell a story in any voice but than in the words of the person who lived it firsthand. This is not the easiest or fastest way to build an appeal, but I firmly believe it is the right way. There are few barriers that can’t be overcome to make this possible – technology, confidentiality, etc. are all obstacles that we can overcome with persistence and creativity.
For Anita, who puts her personal safety at risk each day to make War Child’s work possible, executing these three principals is the least I can do. For the children whose lives she is saving, I can’t imagine doing any less. I know now more than ever, that everything I produce is a reflection of Anita, and those children. For them, the “how?” of my work is every bit as important as “how much?”.
Brock Warner is the Manager, Development at War Child Canada. He also publishes fundraising articles and how-to's on iamafundraiser.com and writes regularly for warchild.ca. You can follow him on Twitter at @brockwarner, and feel free to connect on LinkedIn.
