How many organisations have you encountered falling apart simply because they are not meeting halfway? How many members have decided to leave because of unclear rules and policies? It might be common to fundraising organisations to lose members and donors before trust is established. There are several reasons these things happen.

Lack of communication

A solid organisation is built upon constant communication with your staff. You will never know what they are capable of doing unless you tap into their potential. This only happens if you communicate with them regularly. Scheduling a meeting on weekends will help you to establish rapport with your staff. It is only then that you will be able to find out how each of them can contribute to the success of your fundraising campaign.

Lack of transparency

Since fundraising involves money, your donors and staff have the right to know how you are going to use the money. If you are keeping secrets from them, you are leaving an impression that you are only after their individual contribution. Not keeping them involved will only raise doubts, which can be toxic to the organisation. Take time to create an accurate financial report that your staff can check every once in a while to know what it going on with your funds.

Why is strong management important?

The leaders of your organisation are responsible for building a strong foundation to accomplish common goals and overcome challenges. Effective management is essential to the process. You will never know the struggles of your staff if you fail at the management department. Make time to find out about the challenges that deter each member from working towards a common goal. Give them enough time to be familiar with the ins and outs of fundraising. If you do not see any results, talk to them so you will understand what the problem is.

Some leaders fail because of failing to communicate with subordinates. A strong and solid management is your ticket to earning your members’ trust. If you do not trust them, it will be difficult for them to believe in your cause. Fundraising should be a team effort.

If members have questions,  make time to answer them so clear doubts. It is also important to demonstrate attention to strong and effective management. Find out about your organisation’s strengths and weaknesses so you will know how you are going to create a strategic plan intended to build trust. Your program officers must also be involved in providing training to staff so they will also learn the fundraising ropes.