Chartered Institute of Fundraising Strategy

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A lifetime of impact, a career in fundraising

The Chartered Institute of Fundraising’s three-year strategic plan comes to an end this year, giving us an opportunity to set out a new purpose that tackles some of the key challenges facing fundraising.

Many of these problems require a long-term strategic approach, creating behaviour change to better solve the challenges that fundraisers face.

We have been working for the past year – in consultation with members, our wider staff team and volunteers - on understanding the key issues now facing fundraising and our role to address these.

Our new purpose seeks to address these problems across four pillars of work, doubling our impact in a decade by reversing the decline and creating a sustainable future for fundraising focused on inspiring people to give.

Pillar 1 - Attract, retain and nurture fundraising talent

Charities are struggling to find, nurture and keep skilled fundraisers. Job ads aren’t getting enough strong applicants, and the fundraising profession still lacks diversity.

We want to change that by:

  • In 5 years: Creating clear and accessible paths into fundraising, removing the barriers that make it hard to join and remain in the profession.
  • In 10 years: Making fundraising a respected and appealing career that draws in people from all backgrounds.
  • Our impact: A more skilled and diverse fundraising workforce that brings in more support for good causes.
Pillar 2 - Change the perceptions of fundraising

Many people don’t fully understand fundraising or see it as something worth investing in. Despite its importance, spending on fundraising has gone down since before the pandemic.

We want to shift perceptions by:

  • In 5 years: Helping charities and the wider sector better understand the value of fundraising and the people who do it.
  • In 10 years: Encouraging more thoughtful, timely investment in fundraising across the sector.
  • Our impact: Fundraisers are better supported and able to raise more money for their causes.
Pillar 3 - Drive excellent fundraising practice, setting standards, ethics and guidance

Fundraising must be done to a high standard, with honesty and transparency. Complaints are rising, and more charities are reporting when things go wrong.

We aim to raise standards by:

  • In 5 years: Helping more charities fully embrace ethical and best practice fundraising.
  • In 10 years: Making sure more fundraisers have the knowledge and skills to do their work well, with fewer complaints and happier supporters.
  • Our impact: Greater trust in fundraising, leading to more donations.
Pillar 4 – Foster a culture that inspires more people to give

Fewer people are giving to charity, even though the total amount donated has gone up slightly. This means fewer donors are giving more, which isn’t sustainable.

We want to grow public support by:

  • In 5 years: Tackling myths and obstacles that stop people from giving.
  • In 10 years: Making giving simpler and more inspiring so more people want to support good causes.
  • Our impact: A stronger culture of giving, where more people feel encouraged to donate.

More about our new strategy from Chair of the Chartered Institute, Harpreet Kondel

Insight behind our new strategy, from Katie Docherty, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising

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