Getting better all the time

This autumn, NHS Charities Together made ‘New Horizons’ the theme of its annual Mutual interest Group (MiG) fundraising conference. The day was focussed on giving professionals in the Sector an opportunity to bring fresh ideas to the table and identify practical strategies for tackling ambitious fundraising goals.

Planning a major campaign

We were delighted to be part of the MiG programme, sharing advice on how best to set up and successfully run a major capital campaign. Amy Stevens, Gifted’s Director in the North, also explained how working with Bolton NHS Foundation Trust has sharpened her approach to building a healthy fundraising operation more or less from scratch. ‘Developing a strong case for support and sharing this with internal and external stakeholders, has been key to helping Bolton increase their capacity and plan for future campaigns,’ says Amy. ‘Even if you’re a smaller Trust and still finding your feet when it comes to philanthropic giving, there’s no substitute for fundraising that focuses on personal engagement.’

Tapping into the gift of gratitude

The benefits of making things personal was also the subject of Gemma Downham’s presentation on the impact of Addenbrooke’s Grateful Patients Programme. Gemma explained how much the Trust had learned from patients who felt their healing process accelerated when they were given the opportunity to say thank you by making a gift. She also demonstrated how having a means to express gratitude can be a powerful philanthropic trigger, leading to positive conversations about fundraising needs. At Addenbrooke’s this has helped to transform what can often feel like a one-way encounter with hospital staff into something more reciprocal and dynamic, which is a great place to form new friendships and foster effective relationship-based fundraising.

Even in the ICU context where, sadly, patients may not get a chance to tell a doctor or nurse what their care has meant, it’s still important that family members are able to show their thanks. By widening the circle of gratitude, a hospital’s community of givers grows and staff gain a deeper appreciation of the difference their work makes to patients.

For more information on how to set up a fundraising programme that’s right for your organisation, why not get in touch with one of our directors.