The SYNOPSIS project concerns Storytelling and Fundraising for Cultural Heritage professionals. Cultural heritage covers a variety of activities, and a system of values, traditions, knowledge, and lifestyles that characterise society. The heritage sector has to deal with new challenges and it is therefore necessary to develop new professionalism, able to promote and support cultural heritage as it improves not only the overall economic growth and employment, but also social cohesion and environmental sustainability. Storytelling and fundraising skills assume a fundamental role in connecting the past to the future. Cultural Heritage storytelling is concerned with “communicating through stories”, creating narratives through which a cultural heritage enters into an emphatic relationship with people, managing to arouse public emotion. The purpose is to engage people to protect, exploit cultural heritage, and support it financially. This presentation deals with managing fundraising and resources for fundraising as part of the training programme

1. Fundraisers Guide
Storytelling and Fundraising for Cultural Organisations

2. Managing Fundraising
1 Developing a research activity is essential for successful fundraising.
• First of all, the fundraiser must find out about the organisation's stakeholders. Then it is
necessary to identify their interests and motivations and to direct the fundraising activities
towards them. Finally, it is necessary to demonstrate that you have conducted thorough
and up-to-date research.
• In order to conduct suitable research, the fundraiser must first identify the stakeholders
and their needs, identifying possible sources of income. Then analyse the information
concerning the scope of action, also making a future forecast. Finally analyse the historical
sources of income.

3. Practically, the fundraiser
should be able to
 analyse competition
 sense the motivational needs of a range of stakeholders
 Know the external fundraising environment
 master fundraising techniques
 select appropriate program / campaign selection criteria
 conduct fundraising campaigns
 create and maintain registers and databases of donors

4. Managing Fundraising
2 You need a strategy!
Delivering a satisfactory fundraising operation depends on the strategy: it should see
fundraising not as a part in itself but as a means of achieving the organization's overall
objectives.
To prepare in the best possible way, the fundraiser must:
• Design a fundraising strategy, within the specific area of responsibility
• Identify the people needed to implement it
• Identifying barriers to fundraising
• Establishing an ethical framework for fundraising
• Demonstrate how the fundraising strategy is informed by business objectives.
• Describe how the strategy will be implemented
• Analyze the risks involved in implementing the fundraising strategy

5. Managing Resources for
fundraising
3 Have a Plan
The fundraiser must start with planning techniques and the development of control and
forecasting systems. Then it is necessary to set final objectives.
Practical steps
 Identify the objectives of the event/campaign.
 Establish an acceptable level of cost effectiveness
 Create a timed resource allocation plan linked to a specific fundraising event/campaign
 Create a revenue/expense forecast based on the proposed fundraising plan
 Organise resource allocation to ensure that spending does not compromise the
organisation's financial procedures
 Identify the elements of the fundraising plan for which supplier services are required
 Obtain approval of the fundraising plan.

6. Managing Resources for
fundraising
4 Manage a productive working relationship with suppliers
A supplier is a third party who provides a service in support of the
fundraising plan, so it can be an internal (individual/department
within the organization) or external (another organization).
it is important that the fundraiser knows how to formulate an
agreement to collaborate. It is also part of the role to liaise and co-
ordinate the work of suppliers and to evaluate it against the original
criteria.

7. Managing Resources for
fundraising
5 Implementation
Having developed the strategy and prepared a plan it is, of course, necessary to
implement it. It is also essential to check that the fundraising methodology has
been applied consistently and that legal obligations have been respected.
Problem Solving
Problems can arise during a fundraising process: the fundraiser must act to
resolve them. It is important to analyse and define the problems and then
apply targeted techniques to solve them. Before proceeding, it is always good
to examine the possibilities

8. Managing Resources for
fundraising
6 Evaluation of the strategy and the Cost/Benefit Ratio
the strategy: Evaluation and consolidation should be undertaken not simply in the context of the fundraising
process itself but also from a broader organisational perspective. In practice, the fundraiser must:
 Describe how the fundraiser has met the motivational needs of the supporter
 Evaluate the non-financial contribution to achieving organisational goals
 Identify the results of the strategy: establish which aspects of fundraising are performing according to
expectations and which aspects may benefit from review and possible amendment.
 Estimating the future contribution using indicators and measures
 Identify and utilise a range of sector benchmarks to critically evaluate fundraising performance.
the cost- benefit ratio: Is the cost-benefit ratio acceptable? Do the activities meet the objectives? To answer
this question, it is necessary to assess the costs and effectiveness of the campaign/event by means of a specific
analysis.

9. Communicate a Case for
Support
The final target and the way a fundraising proposal is presented, plays a key role in the success probability.
Fundraisers should be able to select the most appropriate communication method for the campaigns’ needs, as
well as demonstrate effective communication skills.
The fundraiser should demonstrate knowledge of:
 the range of methods and media required to communicate arguments and the reasons for
the campaign
 support to different audiences
 different methods for communicating the fundraising case
 the relative cost benefits of reaching individuals through different communication media
 the psychology of communication

10. Communicate a Case for
Support
The final target and the way a fundraising proposal is presented, plays a key role in the success probability.
Fundraisers should be able to select the most appropriate communication method for the campaigns’ needs, as
well as demonstrate effective communication skills.
The final goal and the creation of a valid case for support require some practical skills:
1. Identify and utilize a wide range of internal information resources relevant to the case.
2. Work with others in their organisation to identify beneficiary need and acquire appropriate exemplars/case
studies of that need.
3. Understand the genuine needs of donors and explore the match with project opportunities.
4. Write an appropriate case for support using an understanding of both organisational and donor needs/
requirements.
5. Ensure that the resulting case is compatible with the ethical policies of the organisation and the wider ethics
of the profession of fundraising (e.g. concerning the depiction of beneficiaries).
6. Develop case expressions from the aggregate case for specific appeals, communications or donor
conversations.
7. Utilise key emotions and feelings in the design of fundraising communications.

11. Managing People
Working in a team is an enriching element in the
fundraiser's work, but to be an effective member
you need to:
a) Collaborate with colleagues to achieve common
goals
b) Communicate effectively with others
c) Display effective and efficient prioritization skills
d) Identify opportunities to establish productive
relationships with volunteers and others (COUPES)
e) Demonstrate awareness of the limitations of
their role.
It is therefore important to
have some basic soft skills:
 Ability to work in a team
 Communication skills
 Skills of prioritisation
 Leadership skills so also
delegate appropriate tasks
to others
 Negotiation skills

12. Congratulations!
You have successfully
completed Activity 3–
Fundraising Planning
Storytelling for Cultural Organisations