Influential Networks
Challenge: It’s not what you know...
You have an exciting vision and need the funds to fulfil it as soon as possible.
Will you approach all potential funders straight away? You may have already found that your fundraising results are modest and well within the funders’ comfort zone - and that your attempts to engage with the decision maker at the funder are rebuffed by a junior or middle manager.
You need a step change. You need to find and harness the support of the right champions and advocates.
Making approaches direct to funders satisfies the desire for action. You can be seen to be making progress - yet the success rate can be disappointingly low and dispiriting. In Tarnside’s experience, cold and hurried approaches lead to an application success rate of only 0-5% and return of investment of only £2 - £3 per £1 spent.
Solution: Tarnside Influential Network Building
Tarnside will guide your development of a planned approach, made through carefully nurtured champions and advocates of your cause, to help increase your expected success rate to between 25% and 60%. The return of investment becomes over £10 per £1 spent.
Benefits of Influential Networks
An influential network will ensure your organisation has:
• A group of individuals who can provide the right connections to prospective funders;
• Who can be converted to advocates and champions; and
• Who will help you take your cause forward by creating a persuasive case amongst their own contacts.
The way to people is through people – when seeking to raise funds this is especially true. It is called networking, and successful campaigns depend upon it.
Tarnside Influential Network Building
At Tarnside, all our experience shows that there is a clear relationship between involvement and size of donation; the more involved people become in the cause, the more personal and financial resources they will commit.
A warm approach requires two things:
1. You need to identify individuals who can provide the right connections to prospective funders.
2. You need to convert them into champions and advocates. If you can involve them sufficiently, they will carry our appeal forward for you, creating a compelling case amongst their own contacts and networks.
The effect is enhanced when people of influence become effective champions of your cause, encouraging others to greater commitment.
We call this The Tarnside Curve of Involvement.
Engaging with Champions
The implication for fundraising is that time taken to research, court and involve influential champions and potential major donors is productive time. Our consultant can guide and support you through this process.
Research — Trustees, patrons, fundraising staff, key project staff, stakeholders and potential major donors can all be brought together to clarify the key messages and to see how their own knowledge and networks could be used to advantage. This begins the process of establishing each prospect’s status on The Curve of Involvement© before agreeing a carefully targeted strategy to guide them further up it.
Court — As key potential champions are identified, the focus is on building their interest in the vision and helping them to become engaged with the cause. This ‘networking’ phase prepares the way for the possibility of deeper involvement.
Involve — In the next ‘animation’ phase, a planned approach is needed that may involve new skills. Your champions are given the space and opportunity to become more committed to your cause and finally the authority to act on your behalf. It is a carefully managed process, which has been proven to be the most effective way of promoting your cause and securing the funds you seek.
Results
• A strategic approach which gives you confidence while learning new skills
• A strong, sustainable network of advocates and champions for your cause
• More impactful giving from more committed donors
A pdf with an introduction to Tarnside Influential Network Building can be printed here
