October 2008

Communication Fundraising Accountability Governance Technology

Unmasking The Fear Of Asking

So, What’s Your Story?

Who Does The Fundraising?

www.fundraising-india.org www.fundraising-india.org

Raisers’Ask Raisers’Ask South Asia’s Fundraising Magazine

Charities Aid FoundationA-85, First Floor, East of Kailash New Delhi 110 065Tel: 091-11-41689100 Fax: 091-11-41689104Email: contact@cafindia.org Website: www.cafindia.org

It’s time to diversify

the government is going blue in the face denying or limiting the effect that the global recession is having on India. But with markets in a freefall and news of pink slips making headlines, caution is the name of the game.

What does this augur for giving to good causes? Companies - that in good times contributed less than 5 per cent globally to charity - are being cautious about committing support to non-profits they have not worked with in the past. Companies that had verbally agreed to pitch in even a few weeks ago, are now hemming and hawing. Colleagues in fundraising have reported drops in individual responses to festive mailings, when compared to last year.

The drop in giving can be ascribed not as much to economic realities, as to the perceptions surrounding the downturn. Corporates and individuals are opting to wait and watch, hesitant to make fresh or regular commitments.

Some might argue that this is an unwise time to test new strategies in fundraising. Others might suggest that this is not the best of times to make a start in local fundraising.

We at Raisers’ Ask would say that now is the time to start diversifying income sources, if your organisation has not already done so. The uncertain economic climate only reinforces the need to spread your income across individuals, institutions, companies and statutory sources, to avoid being overly dependent on any one.

It is a time to return to the basics - of being systematic about fundraising, of establishing a solid database, of regular and appropriate communication to donors, and of doing two or three things in fundraising - and doing them well! That’s the best way to insulate your organisation against future downturns or changing donor priorities.

Sure, it might be a tougher ask to make under the circumstances, but you can blame every ‘no’ on the slowdown and award every ‘yes’ to your growing fundraising capabilities. What better way to unmask your fear of asking!

Bharati Ramachandraneditor@fundraising-india.org

Team MCC thanks Charities Aid Foundation for sponsoring Raisers’ Ask

1 Editorial 3 News Across India

Across South Asia Across the World

5 Fundraising Who does the asking? We all do!

7 Communications So, what’s your story?

8 Cover story Unmasking the fear of asking!

12 Governance On Board!

14 Events15 Case study The Hippo runs for reading!

17 Interview Meena of Give India

19 Book reviews & excerpts ‘Asking properly’ by George Smith

20 Accountability Building trust, made easy!

22 Tips & tools Database to the rescue!

24 Job opportunities & classifieds

PublisherMurray CulshawEditorBharati RamachandranManager - CommunicationsRanjini VictorDesignerSapna GuptaPrinted atNevellos Graffiti Scanning (I) Pvt. Ltd.

Cover Story 8Unmasking The Fear Of AskingBharati raMaChanDran talks to fundraisers to demystify common fears about asking, and offers practical tips on overcoming them.

www.fundraising-india.orgEmail: editor@fundraising-india.org

MCC - Murray Culshaw Consulting2nd Floor No 80 KR ColonyDomlur Layout Bangalore 560 071Tel: 91-80-2535 2003/ 4115 0582

advisory PanelKen Burnett Consultant – Burnett Associates, UK

Bina RaniFounder, Director – Connect for Change, UK

Priya ViswanathCEO – Charities Aid Foundation, New Delhi

Arundhati GhoshDeputy Director – India Foundation for the Arts, Bangalore

Vishal TalrejaManaging Trustee – Dream a Dream, Bangalore

Vijay Ramachandran Editor-in-Chief – International Data Group, Bangalore

in this issue October 2008

Noshir DadrawalaExecutive Secretary – Centre for Advancement of Philanthropy, Mumbai

Vinita TatkeDirector – GreenEarth Social DevelopmentManagement Consultancy, Pune

So, What’s Your Story? 7 Save your presentations, pitches and five-year plans for later. Tell a good story first, says arUnDhati GhOSh

Who Does The Asking? We All Do! 5 You’re not alone, MUrraY CULShaW tells fundraising professionals. Get those Board members, CEOs and programme staff moving!

Raisers’ Ask welcomes letters. These should be addressed to editor@fundraising-india.org

Raisers’Ask Raisers’Ask

news

Raisers’ Ask October 2008 I 3

news - india

the government of Himachal Pradesh will impose a voluntary ‘green tax’ on vehicle users to generate a fund to combat climatic changes. The voluntary tax would be utilised to create an environmental fund to protect nature and make the state a carbon-neutral state.

The tax became a reality with cabinet ministers recently deciding to contribute Rs 100 per month towards creating the corpus.

“With the climatic changes around the globe posing a serious threat, it’s our duty to contribute a certain amount on a regular basis towards the environmental fund as cost of damage caused to the environment in terms of carbon dioxide emissions” Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said.

The state has already taken various initiatives towards ecology conservation. As part of its first micro level drive, residents across the state planted 1.5 million saplings on a single day (3 August 2008), under the Jan Jan Sanjivani programme. From next year, the government plans to plant 4.5 - 5 million medicinal and wild fruit plants through the year.

Source: www.igovernment.in

news - South asia

Young doctors push for greater social responsibilityaccording to Thanh Nien News, a group of young doctors in Vietnam highlighted the need to do more for at-risk population at a forum entitled “Young physicians volunteering for the community’s welfare” in Hanoi.

The young doctors not only organised medical camps, but also made efforts to create awareness about prevention, general healthcare and medicine.

“Why don’t we also incorporate short-term training courses for local physicians in those consultations trips?” asked Mr Nguyen Hoai Nam of the Ministry of Public Security’s Hospital. Dr Hoai also suggested to host a website with information on diseases, contact details of doctors, clinics and hospitals to help the public.

The young doctors from Ho Chi Minh City’s University of Medicine and Pharmacy have conducted more than 1,000

consultation trips across the country and even over the boarders of Laos and Cambodia.

These young doctors seem to distribute their duties among themselves – some manage logistics, while others are responsible for raising funds and securing sponsorship.

“I feel I have received more than I have given – the innocent eyes of sick children in dirty clothes and an old man who sees a doctor once in his lifetime make me feel more responsible for the community’s health,” said Dr Khanh, reflecting on his years of rural healthcare service.

The group found it difficult to find sponsors in the beginning, but companies, who heard of the doctors’ work, came forward to support through donations and medicines.

The group also felt that it is not the patients who benefitted but they also gained valuable experience through this journey.

According to Dr Pham Thi Thao, who has worked in one of the most challenging facilities for the past eight years, she never could have imagined working here when she first visited the hospital at the age of 19… But, now she cannot contemplate ever leaving.

Source: www.thanhniennews.com

Himachal starts ‘green tax’ to combat climate change

news

4 I October 2008 Raisers’ Ask

Newman planned for charitable legacyactor Paul Newman, who died at the age of 83 on 26 September 2008, took steps before his death to ensure that 100 per cent of the profits from Newman’s Own, the multimillion dollar food company Newman created with friend and write A E Hoetchner, will continue to benefit the development sector.

Paul Newman broached the subject of his philanthrophic legacy several years ago while fishing with friends Robert Forrester and David Horvitz.

Newman personally distributed the profits from the time of the company’s founding in 1982 until two years ago when he established the Newman’s Own Foundation to carry on his work after his death. Over the years, Newman and the foundation have given more than $250 million to a range of charitable causes and groups.

“We will miss Paul, but we will honour his vision for the common good through dedicated stewardship of his company that will perpetuate his philanthropic legacy,” said a statement on the Newman’s Own website.

Source: PND News

Sri Lankan organisation honoured for wildlife conservation

the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society (SLWCS) has been chosen as one of twenty five outstanding winners of the Equator Prize 2008

by the UNDP. The international award is in recognition of the organisation’s pioneering contributions towards mitigation of human-elephant conflict through community participation.

The Society works closely with the Department of Wildlife Conservation and many other government bodies. The

news - Global

Despite recession, there’s hope for charitable giving, researchers saydespite turmoil in the financial markets and a slowing economy, giving levels may not be affected as much or for as long as some fear, say researchers at Boston College’s Center on Wealth and Philanthropy.

According to John J. Havens, a leading authority on empirical patterns of wealth, there could be a year or more before the impact of the current crisis is seen in giving levels. In the most recent recession, the nation began to see a decline in net wealth in 1999, while a falling stock market in 2000 contributed to a downward trend in household wealth that lasted three years.

The decline in net worth, however, did not directly correlate with changes in giving. Average household contributions did not begin to fall until 2000, and they did not drop as much as households’ net worth did. From 1999 to 2002, average net worth dropped by as much as 20 per cent, while aggregate charitable giving fell only 10 per cent. Moreover, when net wealth began to rise again in 2002, aggregate giving also began to increase.

In the current climate, said Havens, net household wealth began to decline in late 2007, which means there could be a lag of up to a year before giving declines-in part because high-net-worth donors tend to plan their contributions a year or more in advance.

“One key characteristic of this crisis is that it has certainly affected the top eight per cent of households of the income-wealth spectrum, which is responsible for more than 50 per cent of charitable giving,” said Paul G. Schervish, director of the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy. “So the challenge facing charitable and philanthropic enterprises is to see if the emotional identification that can be elicited from the donor - the sense of caring - can overcome what is, for now, still hoped to be a temporary crisis.”

Source: PND News

news - Global

Society is renowned for its efforts to mitigate human-elephant conflicts, particularly in villages bordering the National Parks.

The Saving Elephants by Helping People (SEPH) project began in 1997. It integrates ecological research, applied conservation, community participation, community development and sustainable economic development.

The Society has teamed up with Travellers Worldwide and World Wide Experience to bring international volunteers to its projects.

The Equator Prize is an international award that honours community-based projects that represent outstanding efforts to reduce poverty through the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

Source: OneWorld South Asia

Who does the asking?We all do!

a Buddhist Jataka tale speaks of a flock of crows trapped under a hunter’s net, and how they all threw in their weight to lift into the sky, snares and all! The story is, of course, meant to be an illustration of the power of collective effort.

The story brings to mind a vivid image of most fundraisers in India - whether designated as such or not - as lone crows struggling hard to lift off.

The metaphor reiterates a fundamental principle, that asking is not any one person’s job, but the responsibility of everyone in the organisation. Fundraising is, after all, team effort.

You’re not alone, MURRAY CULSHAW tells fundraising professionals. Get those Board members, CEOs and programme staff moving!

Fundraiser: ‘Why do I feel like a different animal?’Fundraisers are wonderful people to have in an organisation. We did a random survey of the qualities people thought fundraisers should have: words such as positive, optimistic, enthusiastic, articulate, energetic, committed, persuasive, confident, imaginative, were suggested. We agree with all of these, and would like to add two more: persistent and hardworking.

But the great new animal with these qualities cannot do a thing, if it does not have the support of the whole team - from the chairperson, through the CEO, to the receptionist and the driver. Fundraisers will also need specialist skills, training and opportunities to expand their knowledge.

If fundraisers are not assisted by the whole organisation, they will quickly move on to a new organisation where they are confident there will be more support!

Board member: ‘You didn’t tell me I had to ask for money!’A board that is enthusiastic about its role will inevitably support fundraising. An unenthusiastic board is a drag on any organisation. A reason why board

It will not work for 95 per cent of staff to be spenders, and only 5 per cent to be raisers!

members are unwilling to ask is the fear that they will not succeed, and the fear comes from lack of preparation and practice.

Senior staff should therefore engage the board on fundraising, share plans and seek their support. Staff could help Board members prepare - even do some training in fundraising, if required!

Many Board members don’t pitch in because they don’t know how. Here are some ways in which Board members can lend a hand:

• Make a personal donation • Lend their name to appeals• Help build relationships with institutional funders, as well as major donors• Use their personal connection to open doors• Write and sign thank you letters and appeals• Host fundraising events and dinnersAnd our favourite…• Run in the Mumbai marathon, the Delhi half marathon or the Bangalore 10K!

Fundraising

Raisers’ Ask October 2008 I 5

A CEO who just wants to focus on the ‘real’ work and delegates responsibility for fundraising to professionals is the wrong kind of chief executive! Increasingly in South Asia we will need a new kind of CEO who gives the right balance of time to all aspects of an organisation, including fundraising. These will be people who - while they do excellent work at the grassroots - are also comfortable asking for money from a bunch of high flyers in the corporate sector.

Programme and support staff: ‘I spend, you raise - that seems like a fair distribution of labour.’Programme and support staff need to know the importance of raising resources so that the good work can continue. They must be involved to the extent possible. A good way to get everyone to participate is an annual event. In addition:

l Share targets, initiatives and

CEO: ‘Why can’t fundraisers do their job, and leave me alone to do the real work?’To be fair, in most organisations in India, the chief executive is the main fundraiser. But increasingly, some chief executives are happy to ‘hand over’ the job to a fundraising professional.

We would advocate the middle path. Clearly, it is unhealthy for fundraising to be entirely dependent on the CEO. At the same time, the CEO must give at least 25 per cent of time - better still, 50 per cent!

The CEO is responsible for engaging the Board and securing their active support in fundraising, as in other matters. Likewise, it’s the CEO’s job to ensure that all staff are aware of current income sources, the fundraising strategy and the need to keep expenditure down. The CEO should have the personality to provide practical and psychological support to fundraisers, whether the team has one, two or many more persons.

Best wishes

MARK V ENTERPRISES10, 7/2, 4th Cross, Byrappa Layout, Nagashetti Halli

Boopasandra Main Road, Bangalore 560 094

Tel: 080-2341 4696 Email: kevin06@dataone.in

Fundraising

Murray Culshaw is the Chairperson of Murray Culshaw Consulting. He can be contacted at

murray@fundraising-india.org

progress with all staffl Ensure courtesy at the gate and on the phone - be welcoming and friendly to visitors and enquirers.l Start a voluntary payroll giving system among staff, so that they all have the opportunity to themselves donate and understand the value of giving.

6 I October 2008 Raisers’ Ask Raisers’ Ask October 2008 I 7

Communications

So, what’s your story?Save your presentations, pitches and five-year plans for later. Tell a good story first, says ARUNDHATI GHOSH

e verybody loves a good story. It is perhaps the oldest of our art forms, the first human expression. Even before we learnt to read or write we were telling stories. In front of our bonfires, on the walls of our caves, through our songs and dances we were narrating stories of wars won, loves lost, new horizons explored - tales of the far and near. And like it was then, it still is now. We sit in front of the screen in a movie hall, or the stage in an auditorium or in front of the pages of a book, wide-eyed and hungry, our hearts wrapped up in the sagas being told, journeying thousands of miles in our minds, living the legends ourselves. Our lives become one with those in the story. We laugh and we cry, we get angry and we seek revenge, and we see ourselves and find meanings for our own lives through living the stories that we experience. Such is the power of a good story.

However, when we believe in a cause and work for it and need to raise support for it - be it funds or volunteers - we somehow forget the power of a good story. We go ready with our presentations and pitches, with our vision and mission well articulated, our annual report and five-year plans, with graphs and figures and parameters of impact assessment. We aim to floor the potential donor with arguments for the absolute necessity of our cause, with how many schools we have built, or how many more health units need to be put in place - dry facts devoid of emotion - and wonder why we have failed to get our point across.

In my many years of work in fundraising, I have realized that people respond to people. They respond to the human condition. They respond to the difference our work has made to people - even a single street child or a woman who has faced abuse or a poor cancer patient. They respond to stories.

Once I had gone to potential donor ready to overwhelm him with the staggering number of grants IFA has supported and I found him cold. But when I told him how a grant had enabled sufi musicians from Punjab to record and sell their music in the village melas and how that had changed their lives, I found him smiling. A similar incident happened with a corporate in Hyderabad. I had gone to ask them for funds to support a project that would document traditional designs of weavers in Andhra Pradesh. I met the senior leadership team and took them through the presentation. They all nodded in agreement that the work we were trying to do was good, but still, there was no excitement in the room. A colleague of mine started talking about the people we were supporting, which communities they came from, what were their challenges, etc. Suddenly one of the senior managers said, “Hey, that’s the community our factory workers mostly come from!” And in that instant the people we were supporting had faces, had names, were real and familiar for the team evaluating us. We got the funding.

In my various meetings I have seen people warm up to and listen to stories - stories that capture lives, stories that tell the tales of courage and inspiration, of struggle and strife, of success and failure. I have seen them respond to emotions more than any cognitive articulation of strategic interventions. People, end of the day, want to help others and to see how that has transformed lives. That is the story they want to hear from us.

It is tough to find those stories in the documentation and reports we do in our sector. Tough to find them in our offices where the essence of our work often gets buried in the dailyness of our business. We need to find them in the field. We need to look for these stories by engaging with the lives of the communities we support, the people who make our work meaningful. We need to go back to them and find these stories - stories of survival, stories of blossoming, stories of re-imagination. And if we can find even one story that moves us deeply in our hearts and makes us feel that just because of this one story our organisation and our work is worth it - this is the story that we must retell to people whom we ask for support and funding. This is the story that will make them feel the way we do about our work and some day soon, they may even support us!

Arundhati Ghosh is the Deputy Director of India Foundation for the Arts www.indiaifa.org. She can be contacted at arundhatighosh@indiaifa.org

People respond to people. They respond to the difference our work has made to people.

6 I October 2008 Raisers’ Ask Raisers’ Ask October 2008 I 7

Telling a powerful story got Arundhati $100

Cover Story

BHARATI RAMACHANDRAN talks to fundraisers to demystify common fears about asking, and offers practical tips on overcoming them.

a t an international workshop, a fundraiser who raises millions of dollars for her cause asked participants to write down the earliest personal experience of money that they remembered. Most people recalled that they had never talked about money at home! The fundraiser probed, “Did anyone forbid you from talking about money?” “Well, not exactly,” came the response, “but it was – like sex – one of the things you didn’t mention in polite company!”

The fundraiser then said, “Very rich people never have a problem asking for money. They are too used to money for it to be an uncomfortable subject. People who have been very, very poor also never have a problem asking for money. They learn about its value early in life and have enough respect for money to know what it can achieve.

“It’s those in between… that have a problem with money. They are taught from childhood that money is not the most important thing in life, that money is the root of evil. They grow up with a dislike or worse, disdain for money that makes them very uncomfortable when they have to ask.”

In Indian society, the problem is compounded by the nature and history of voluntary action. Do good work and the money will come. At a recent

UnmaskingThe Fear of Asking

8 I October 2008 Raisers’ Ask

Cover Story

fundraising workshop, the founder of a voluntary organisation told me with pride, “I have never had to ask for money!” The idea that somehow society ‘owes you’ is common. A Board member at the same workshop said, “If my organisation is doing a good job for a good cause, then money should come to me. What hurts the most is when people don’t empathise with my cause, yet they give because they have the money.”

What makes grown up people afraid of asking?While childhood conditioning may lead a lot of grown up people – who I’m sure understand full well the value of money – to shy away from asking, that does not explain it all.

Fear of rejection ranks on top of all the reasons why fundraisers say they’d rather not ask. Rejection, whether in love or in fundraising, can be a painful thing, and it’s not for the weak-hearted. One fundraiser I know had built up such a monstrous image of the donor’s rejection, that each time he needed to ask, the monster would raise its head. Others fear asking their friends. ‘What if they think badly of me?’ ‘What if they stop taking my calls?’ ‘What if I embarrass them?’ ‘They will think I’m a failure…’ If you live in fear of rejection or are embarrassed by having to ask for money, you’re not alone. There are, as we will see, ways in which these fears can be overcome.

There are other fears that stem from lack of knowledge. ‘How should I frame the ask?’ ‘What if my ask is much more than he

Raisers’ Ask October 2008 I 9

can afford?’ ‘What if she’s bored by my story?’ ‘I have never asked before.’ These apprehensions can be put to rest by solid preparation and practice.

But the one reaction that’s unacceptable is, “Asking for money feels like begging.” If you’re a fundraiser, Board member or head of an organisation and you feel this way, you don’t need more knowledge or skills. You need another job.

Fighting the fear factorAsking is not beggingAsking for money for a cause is not begging. You are not asking for money for yourself. You are asking for money for a good cause. Every ask you make has the power to change a life or many lives. The best fundraisers take such pride in the work they do, that they consider it a privilege to be part of it. What’s better, they feel they are doing donors an honour by giving them a chance to be part of something so special.

It’s not you they are rejecting‘It’s not you, it’s me’ doesn’t quite work for love, but in fundraising, it’s true. When a donor says no, it’s not a reflection on ‘you.’ He may have just made a large investment; her children’s school fees may be due this month… Remember, when a donor says no, the donor most often feels worse than you do. Take the no philosophically and move on to how else they can be part of your cause.

w research the donor Who is the donor? What are his concerns, her interests? What are his values? What is her likely motivation for giving? If you have no way of knowing this before you meet, listen for clues during the conversation to what drives this donor.

w tell a powerful story Take a story that moves you. It should be a story of change brought about by your organisation’s work. Practice telling the story till you can tell it well. Test it on others. This will become the core of your pitch to people.

w Know what excites people about your organisation Surprise, surprise, it’s not your organisation’s history or the number of years you’ve been around. Learn to paint a vivid picture of the need you are trying to fill, with one or two well chosen facts. Give donors a sense of what

their money has achieved in concrete terms. Show them how much more work needs to be done, and how they could help.

w role play Ask your colleague to pretend to be a major donor, and role play how you would ask her for a large donation. Role play eases the pressure of saving the big ask for an actual donor, besides giving you a chance to anticipate and field questions, and listen for clues to the (pretend) donor’s motivations. Role play often. This could be your most important tool to fight your fear of asking.

w Choose your communication material well A simple attractive brochure, or even better, an annual report, should do. With large asks, it helps to leave a brief concept note behind. Do not overwhelm the donor with research reports, press clippings and photo-copies of your trust deed!

Five tips on Being Prepared

No is the second best answerThe best answer is yes, of course. But the second best answer is no. At least you know where you stand. Have the courage to ask why not, in a warm, wonderful way that does not embarrass either of you. It could be the amount, the timing, the cause… here’s your chance to listen. If you are too busy wallowing in self-pity because the donor said no, you will miss the chance to find out what makes her tick.

Oh yes, and what’s the worst answer? ‘Maybe later.’ ‘Let me think about it.’ Guaranteed to have you chewing your nails.

Prepare, prepare, prepareRemember the time you were in school and saw that the test paper had questions from all the bits you studied? How that helped quell the bile rising from the pit of your stomach! In asking for money, too, solid preparation goes a long way in making the ask easy, almost natural. See box: Five Tips on Being Prepared

You have an obligation to askChristiana Stergiou of Pareto Fundraising says, “Asking for money is not a decision. It is your job. If your charity needs money to help people, you are negligent if you don’t ask.” Thinking about the consequences of not asking can be a sobering but useful exercise in motivating yourself to take the plunge.

Just do itThis week, your goal is to meet as many people as you can, face to face, and ask them for money. That’s all. How they respond, whether they give you money or not - tell yourself that this is not part of your KRA (key result area) this week. Your target is to just ask x number of people for money every day.

What’s the point? Practice. Not only will you perfect your pitch, you will also find your fear ebbing away. Not to mention the rise in positive responses. As in bungee jumping, the first step dispels all fear and nervousness. Ameen Ahmed of Greenpeace India says, “I looked around and found people who were asking, and getting! It fired me up and I made my first ask. Never stopped since then!”

10 I October 2008 Raisers’ Ask

Cover Story

Gender, Poverty and Rights: A Trainers ManualRanjani K. Murthy and Mercy Kappen, 120 pages, Suggested contribution Rs. 200 First in a series on Gender, Diversity and Development, this manual will familiarize facilitators with current debates on gender, poverty and rights.

Institutionalising Gender within Organisations and Programmes: A Trainer’s ManualRanjani K Murthy & Mercy Kappen, 142 pages, Suggested contribution Rs. 250The manual focuses on equipping participants with perspectives and skills on institutionalising gender with organisations and programmes For copies write to: bijujohn@visthar.org or mail@visthar.org

What makes a good ask?1 It’s about the change - the end result - that will benefit people, animals or the environment. It’s not about the activity for which you need the money. Say you need Rs 25,000 to dig a well. Don’t ask for money to dig a well. Ask for money to save the lives of children who are dying of dysentery because they don’t have clean drinking water.

2 It’s about the donor. Have the donor’s concerns on top of your mind, not what your organisation can get out of the donor. That’s the only way you can learn from even a ‘no’ or a ‘maybe.’

3 It’s specific. Ask for a certain amount of money, and offer options of how the donor can donate. Do not bury the ask in phrases like ‘We need your support,’ or ‘Please help generously.’

4 It’s made often enough. Don’t leave large gaps between asks. Donors can get distracted by other causes, or by life. You decide what is often enough for your target audience. Some organisations ask every week, others ask once in a quarter. Once is a year is just not enough.

5 It’s followed by a thank you. And by regular updates on what the money is achieving, as personalised as you can manage.

The fundraiser with whose story I started this article taught me how important it is for fundraisers, Board members and chief executives of voluntary organisations to have a healthy relationship with money. She narrated the story of how as a teenager she fought hunger and poverty to put herself and her siblings through school and college. She then said something that has stayed with me ever since I heard this story, “I love money. Money can put small children in school. Money can feed hungry people. Money can save people’s lives, and those of their families and whole communities.”

And that is the most compelling reason a fundraiser can have for getting out there and asking for money.

Bharati Ramachandran, is the CEO of Murray Culshaw Consulting. www.fundraising-india.org.

She can be contacted at bharati@fundraising-india.org

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AARTI MADHUSUDAN offers practical tips on how you can get your Board to itself give and help you raise resources

On Board!

h ow often have you wondered whether your Board is doing its job – or doing anything at all? Some of you may even wonder: “What is the Board supposed to do in the first place?”

Move from being to doingThe answer lies in a word that appears in both questions: Doing. The Board’s job – any Board’s job – is to do something. How this translates in practical terms largely depends on the type of organisation you have, the stage you are in and the kinds of people there are on the Board. However, one of the things that cuts across these factors and that a Board must do is help the organisation raise funds, or broadly speaking, mobilise resources. The Board’s job is, as much as anyone else’s, to help with this activity.

The reality is that in the Indian context, Boards play a fiduciary role more than a hands-on one. This maybe all right for the small number of organisations

that have very high implementation or managerial capability. The majority of organisations neither have these skills, nor can they afford to recruit people who do have them. It therefore becomes important for the Board to play a more active role.

Give and get others to giveHere’s some practical advice on one aspect of the Board’s job - resource mobilisation. In this context, it is essential to clarify that resource mobilisation is not the same as fundraising. Resource mobilisation involves all those activities that either directly result in bringing more funds into the organisation, or that help the organisation save funds so that it can divert the same into the programme.

Simply put, a Board member could give and get others to give. How can you achieve this?

• Make sure you have a Board that is

open to ‘doing’ as opposed to just giving advice on what to do.

• Build relationships with individuals on the Board. Understand what each Board member’s motivations are, what other networks and alliances they are a part of, and how active they are in those contexts.

• Engage your Board in a manner that constantly kindles their passion for your organisation and keeps it alive. Share your successes and your failures. Do not wait for the Board meeting to share information. This will help convert your Board members into advocates for your mission and organisation.

• Resource mobilisation involves directly giving money, creating access to money or to those that have money, finding human resources that can take on responsibility, networking with other individuals and institutions that can offer services to your organisation… and so on.

12 I October 2008 Raisers’ Ask

Governance

This copy line that every writer wishes he or she had written. If half the challenge with legacy marketing is how do you raise this delicate subject with donors, then this brilliant promotion hits every button perfectly.

The copy concept first appeared on a billboard outside Sydney, Australia. Initially, it may just have been a one-off indulgence for such a great copy line. But, somebody evidently thought it deserved more.

Source: www.sofii.org

The Greenpeace legacy mat

Readers could become members of SOFII (www.sofii.org) by registering for free. Please email maxine@sofii.org for registration and receive

Maxine’s regular updates.

• Once your Board is engaged, they will find it easier to speak on behalf of you, advocate your cause and solicit support.

• Ensure that you support Board members in this task. Provide them with appropriate communication material.

• If a Board member is asking for money, present the financial information or overall picture against a yearly plan in a comprehensible manner. Ask for a ‘specific’ amount. This will indicate that you have done your homework on the individual’s capability.

• If the Board member is asking for other forms of support such as sponsoring printing costs of stationery, indicate what it will save your organisation and where you will use the money thereby saved.

• If the Board member is soliciting volunteer support, for example from an accounting firm to help manage the finances of your organisation, indicate how much value in money terms that means for your organisation and where you will be able to use it to better lives.

n Tell your Board member what you expect in terms of tasks and timen Define and clearly articulate this and get mutual agreementn Set a beginning and an end date for the activity or the task for which you need help n Support the Board member with timely, appropriate a nd accurate information and resourcesn Check back to ensure that this is adequaten Review periodic progress with the Board membern Keep the Board informed of progress on the task that a Board member has undertaken n Appreciate the Board member for the help

how to get a working Board

• Stay in touch with Board members, giving feedback on how you are using their contacts, and whether any resources are being generated through the contact or not. This will keep the Board member involved, engaged and motivated to do something for your organisation.

Having tried this, if you find that a Board member has added no value in directly or indirectly accessing a resource, review your decision about having the person on the Board.

Aarti Madhusudan runs Governance Counts, an organisation that strengthens Boards of

voluntary organisations and promotes good governance practices. She can be reached at

aarti@governancecounts.in

Governance

Events

5th South Asian Regional Workshop on Resource Mobilisation

October 2008. CAF India (Charities Aid Foundation India) completed 10 years in India. Our vision: to build a society motivated to give ever more effectively - transforming lives and communities around the country.

For 10 years CAF India has been a leader and innovator in the philanthropy space… A trusted advisor, driving corporations to invest in communities; an enabler for the non profit sector - building credibility and capacity. A celebration of the spirit of partnership!

CAF @ 10 celebrates these partnerships. In various forums and platforms we help to bring together key partners and stakeholders–companies, charities and individuals - to engage and enable.

Capacity Building and training initiatives for partners; Community Leadership Experience (CLE 2008) in Hyderabad; a South Asian Forum for Grantmakers; a Diaspora Night in the UK; a Charity Art show in New Delhi, are some of the events being planned.

27 – 29 November 2008Taj Samudra Hotel, Colombo, Sri Lanka

This workshop aims to be an inspiring event, offering memorable and unique sessions as well as providing participants with the opportunity to share their ideas and experiences with a diversity of individuals from all over the world.

The workshop is suitable for directors and staff of voluntary organisations, donor agencies, governmental agencies and civil society organisations. Individuals and organisations interested in building fundraising capacity, local resource mobilisation and advocacy would also benefit greatly from what this event has to offer.

The courses are intensive 90 minute sessions, which offer an in-depth look at the latest issues and techniques. The topics offered will include:

• Understanding the Fundraising Cycle (Developing a Fundraising Plan that Works)• Key Thinking & Skills to Ensure Fundraising Success

• Corporate-NPO Partnerships A Win-Win Situation• Developing an Inspiring Case for Support• Events for Fun, Friends and Funds• Raising More Money from Individuals through Direct Marketing• Effective Leadership and Good Governance• Effective Budgeting• Crisis Management• Cause Related Marketing A Fundraising Technique with Immense Potential• Raising Funds Through the Internet• Taking the Fear out of Finance• Creativity and Innovation in Fundraising

This workshop is organised by Centre for Advancement of Resource Mobilisation,Sri Lanka. For further information, please visit www.carmsl.org

the hippo runs for reading!

i s it hard to imagine a bunch of librarians signing up for a 5.7 km run on a Sunday morning? When we could be slobbering over a Roman mystery or the adventures of the Greek gods in New York City! It wasn’t the sacrifice of a lifetime or anything – as a rule, we avoid anything that we don’t enjoy ourselves, and running together seemed like fun! Besides 5.7 km seemed do-able even for those of us who dreaded physical education at school. The 10-member Hippocampus team signed up to Run for Reading! As part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives, White Canvas, a Bangalore-based ad agency, came forward to create a striking direct mailer and poster.

We began to invite friends and well-wishers to run with us, and the response staggered us. Some even interrupted their holidays to be there in time for the run. One couple turned up for the run with their 14-month-old daughter in the stroller, non-availability of a babysitter notwithstanding!

We registered a group of 40 runners, with three participants in the Open 10 K. Once the group was in place, the focus shifted to raising pledges. SMS reminders to the group of runners kept us together as a team. Red T-shirts with ‘Run for Reading’ printed on the back were distributed to the group. Calls were made to every single runner to motivate them to spread the word and raise pledges. The response was positive from the first day. It was not just friends who came forward readily with their contributions; even those who had heard about our work mailed in cheques. Of course, incessant phone calls worked where appeals to a generous and a charitable conscience did not! On a serious note, we were clear that any amount, big or small, was welcome. It presented a great opportunity to talk about HRF’s work and objectives, the impact it has had on the children and even librarians.

Perhaps it is our association with books and children, irrespective of whether it is

for mainstream or lesser privileged that worked for us. We want children to be able to read and enjoy a book and that is not a privilege of a chosen few. From the response we received, it’s obvious that many agree with us.

When the cheques came and were counted, we were pleasantly surprised to see how much it added up to – about Rs 4.68 lakh. It was touching to see the total faith that our supporters have in our endeavour to promote libraries and reading for children. More so, when we were told our collections were among the top three. It is a motivating factor and at least some of us will be driven to run longer distances, as we reach more libraries to children across the country.

UMESH MALHOTRA tells the story of the Hippocampus Reading Foundation’s prize-winning maiden effort at the Bangalore 10k

Case Study

Umesh Malhotra is the Executive Director of

Hippocampus. He can be contacted at

umesh@hippocampus.in

M SivasamyShobika Industries, 34 Sannathi StreetVennaimali, Karur, Tamil NaduTel: 04324-220301 Mobile: 9443720931

>Email: sivasamy_sivasamy@yahoo.co.in

With best wishes

Making a case for regular payroll giving

interview

Raisers’ Ask October 2008 I 17

all organisations dream of building a constituency that regularly gives to their cause. Regular giving provides some certainty of income, enables organisations to therefore plan expenditure, and helps donors connect to the cause over a period of time. Of the types of regular giving, payroll giving is unique, because it helps organisations build links at two levels: one, with the company, and two, with individual employees. It allows employees to voluntarily make donations to any cause, directly from their pay.

Give India’s Payroll Giving programme works with companies to offer their employees a regular way of contributing to a cause, from among a list of organisations that have been screened for transparency and accountability. MEENA DAVE of Give India talks to PRIYA ANAND about the implications and benefits of payroll giving.

18 I October 2008 Raisers’ Ask

interview

How far has Give India’s payroll giving programme come since inception?We started the payroll giving programme in 2003 in Mumbai. The first company to sign on was ICICI Bank. Since then we have taken the programme to Bangalore, Delhi and Chennai. We now have more than 25,000 employees in over 50 companies enrolled on the payroll giving programme, contributing more than Rs 50 lakh every month.

How do companies and employees benefit from payroll giving? In several ways. For companies, payroll giving could be a flagship programme of their corporate social responsibility initiative. Give India’s online programme is automated and easy to implement. The company gives its employees an opportunity to easily donate to social causes.

For employees, Give India’s online donation mechanism is convenient. The employee can contribute to any cause from a list of certified organisations that have been scrutinised for transparency and accountability. But what is truly lovely is the feeling the donor experiences on getting a feedback report about how their money has been used. They begin to understand that even Rs 100 or Rs 200 per month can change the life of a person.

What are the challenges that you face when you approach an organisation?Reaching employees in a large company is difficult; either they are busy or are in scattered locations. We also meet employees who are sceptical about the concept and are reluctant to sign up. There are companies that limit direct access to employees because of security concerns. The global slowdown is also beginning to affect company sign-ups, though individuals are still just as ready to sign on.

What keeps you motivated?The look of wonder on people’s faces when they get feedback on how their money has been used! The same person who was dismissive of the programme a few months ago is transformed when he looks at the changes that have been brought about.

How do we make payroll giving attractive to corporates?It is important to have a system that is simple yet robust with tried and tested processes that cannot go wrong. Stress that giving is voluntary and that employees can donate any amount, even as little as Rs 50 per month. Give employees a range of causes and organisations that they can support. Ensure that employees get a feedback report on how their donation has helped change lives.

How do you ensure that employees give on a sustained basis?It is important to send them feedback on how the money has been used, along with testimonials of other givers. We also send them regular newsletters with stories of the change that has been brought about in the lives of people and communities, as a result of even a small donation.

If a voluntary organisation wants to get into payroll giving, what tips would you give them?• You need to offer donors a choice of donation options.

• The voluntary organisation needs to be open and transparent about its work, especially its finances.

• It needs to put in place an automated, online machinery to run the programme.

• It needs to test this system and remove all glitches before it approaches a corporate. A good way to do this is to test this internally with staff of your own organisation.

What are the positives and challenges of payroll giving for a voluntary organisation? The great thing is that the organisation is assured of a steady source of income through the year. Payroll giving allows you to target a large group of people i.e employees in a company, at a minimum of costs.

The biggest challenge is that the initial investment in terms of time and finances are high. This is especially so if the voluntary organisation wants to run the payroll giving programme on its own, or institute a method of accepting online payments. One needs to have a foolproof system in place and that takes time and resources.

The other challenge is the amount of time spent in initiating contact with the organisation. You need to get approval from the CEO as well as the CSR head, and to get both to arrive at a consensus takes time. Sometimes there is a delay in meeting employees and explaining the programme to them.

Of course, if your organisation is listed on Give India, we take care of both these steps - managing the online payment system and negotiating with companies.

Meena works with the Payroll Giving unit of Give India, a nonprofit that advocates and promotes internet giving. She can be

contacted at meena@giveindia.org

No. of companies 50No. of employees enrolled 25,000Funds raised per month Rs 50 lakhAvg amt donated by an employee Rs 160 per month

Where Give india wants to go in 2009No. of employees enrolled 75,000No. of companies 100

GiVE india’s fundraising facts

Raisers’ Ask October 2008 I 19

BOOK REVIEW

Asking Properly, The Art of Creative Fundraising, by George Smith

Boldly stated on the reverse of the dust-jacket, “You will never ever read a book quite like this”. And you probably won’t!

Filled with thought provoking insight, brilliant examples, and poignant wit, George Smith’s Asking Properly is a culmination of years of experience in the field.

In it, he studies the creativity, success and failure of campaigns. From the traditional black and white Oxfam press appeal, to the language on the outer envelope of an Alzheimer’s Disease Society mailer; from feelings imparted through an SDP donor certificate, to the long-lasting appeal of a new-years’ UNICEF diary, the impact and effect of every ask is carefully analysed. Nothing goes unexamined.

If you are looking for a how-to workbook for communicating to raise support, this book is not it. George pushes the reader to consider aspects of ‘the ask’ that he or she has not thought of before.

A point of contention I have with the book, however, is its failure to address how creative fundraising will take shape in the near future. In fact, Smith goes as far as to state his scepticism of the cost effectiveness and fundraising potential of the internet. Was 1996 really that long ago?

Additionally, while the book offers fundraising professionals an in-depth view of communication strategy, it is written for a very Western audience, where the voluntary sector is more mature. I couldn’t help but think how great it would be if there were, in fact, another book somewhat like this – one written specifically for the South Asian voluntary sector!

Interesting websites

www.foundationcentre.orgThe Cente maintains the most comprehensive database on US grant makers and their grants. It also operates research, education, and training programmes designed to advance philanthropy at every level. The Foundation Centre offers free newsletters exclusively to registered visitors. Registering is easy and free.

www.sofii.orgView a free gallery of the best fundraising communications done by nonprofits globally. If you think your work deserves to be there, send it in to maxine@sofii.org today.

www.agoodmanonline.com‘a goodman’ is a communications consulting firm that helps organisations effectively communicate. Emphasis is on ‘story telling’ as the most powerful communication tool. You could order a few publications as well download a few capsule reviews and excerpts for free.

www.donorpowerblog.comSource of ideas on how to win your donor over for life and maintain that long-term relationship; interesting and useful articles on donor power; and many more fundraising features.

Jeff Brooks, creative director at Merle, has been serving the nonprofits community for nearly 20 years.

www.gettingattention.org/my_weblog/Showcases ideas and tips for communicators and fundraisers who wish to explore avenues through effecting marketing.

Nonprofit marketing expert Nancy E. Schwartz is the primary author of the Getting Attention blog and e-newsletter.

Interesting blogs

Riz Khambatarizwaan@fundraising-india.org.

Building trust,made easy! CREDIBILITY ALLIANCE

underlines the importance of public disclosure

accountability

t hose with passion for the cause of underprivileged understand why building trust is important, not only among the beneficiaries, but also the benefactors - the donor community and the society at large.

In South Asia, where the voluntary sector has seen a big growth in the last decade, there is a need to ensure effective utilisation of resources, better structure and governance in the voluntary organisations along with transparency.

Credibility Alliance is a step towards addressing this need in India.

What is Credibility Alliance?As the voluntary sector in India has continued to grow, accountability and transparency have

become key factors for all stakeholders. To address this need, 2000 voluntary organisations in India joined hands in 2001 and discussed common norms for accountable and transparent practices in the voluntary sector. This interaction led to an independent and dedicated organisation - Credibility Alliance, registered in May 2004.

The Credibility Alliance (CA) is a consortium of voluntary organisations striving to enhance the credibility of the voluntary sector through development and promotion of norms for good governance.

Over the years, the Alliance has

registered around 700 voluntary organisations as members, 100 of them already in the process of accreditation.

What does CA do?• Develop and promote norms for good governance.

• Accreditation of voluntary organisations based on Credibility Alliance norms.

• Policy advocacy for enhancement of credibility.

Raisers’ Ask October 2008 I 21

• Information and communication support for enhancement of credibility.

The norms development process of CA is through consultation with voluntary oragnisations. CA had developed norms for governance, disclosure and programme. The norms of good governance are divided into -

i) minimum norms

ii) desirable norms

To know more about these, you can download CA Norms Booklet from www.credall.org.in or request Regional Coordinators of CA to send it to you.

What are the benefits of joining CA?• The organisation belongs to the broader movement towards building the credibility of the sector and gets recognised for its commitment to be accountable, transparent and democratic.

• Accredited NGOs avail of better funding and donation opportunities, nationally and internationally.

• Members become a part of a network of over 1,000 NGOs, funding

agencies and social responsibility divisions of corporate houses.

• Organisations in the CA family receive support to identify your capacity-building needs.

• Listing your organisation on our website, and access to information and resources.

How to join CA: Voluntary organisations in India have three options to join CA:

Basic Membership*: - request or download the membership form for Credibility Alliance, fill it, attach required documents and send it across.

Peer Group Review*: - review done by one of our member organistions. A simple check on your organisation against the compliance to our norms.

Accreditation*: - Compliance against the norms is assessed by independent individuals and organisations commissioned by the Credibility Alliance.

Through this process, your organisation will be certified as an accountable and transparent entity.

*To know how much these will cost,

Contact detailsHead Office:3rd Floor, West Khetwadi Municipal SchoolLane # 5 Back Road, Khetwadi, Mumbai 400 004Phone: +91-22-23894046 +91-22-23894047Email: info@credall.org.inWebsite: www.credall.org.in

accountability

contact the CA Regional Coordinator in your region. (www.credall.org.in/contactus/contact_us.htm)

Supporting CA

If you believe in building an accountable and transparent voluntary sector in India:

• Become a member (applicable to voluntary organisations only)

• Sponsor the cost of a voluntary organisation/ your partner NGOs getting accredited (applicable to donor agencies, corporates)

• Make a donation to the general fund or corpus fund of CA (applicable to everyone)

• Actively engage/ volunteer for CA (applicable to everyone)

Annual reports are an important element in public accountability and promotion of transparency within the voluntary sector.

CSO Partners announces the Annual Reports Awards 2007-2008 to promote public transparency in the voluntary sector.

We invite organisations to send in three copies of their 2007-2008 annual report. The reports will be assessed for:

1. Compliance with Norms of public disclosure and good governance developed and reviewed by Credibility Alliance, Mumbai

2. Quality and presentation of financial information against norms of Indian Chartered Accountancy Association – ICAI, reviewed by FMSF – Financial Management Services Foundation, New Delhi

3. Readability of content against the good practices for

fundraising-friendly annual reports developed by MCC– Murray Culshaw Consulting, Bangalore.

There will be two awards in three categories of organisations:

Category 1: Those with a budget below Rs 50 lakh

Category 2: Those with a budget between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 5 crore

Category 3: Those with a budget above Rs 5 crore

The prizes will be in the form of cash awards.

A reputed independent panel will make the final decision which will be announced at the awards ceremony to be held in February 2009.

For further details contact Trupti on email trupti@fundraising-india.org or phone +91-80-2535 2003/ 4115 0582

CSO Partners Annual Reports Awards 2007-2008

Database to the rescue!

watching a crime thriller on TV might be some people’s idea of entertainment, but the bit that turns me on is the sophisticated database that is used to identify and nab a suspect. The database usually stores fingerprints, details of crime scenes and is relational as well – connecting people (suspects), crimes, locations and personal data.

A donor database is a similar framework that stores vital information on donors, their preferences, their relationship and donation history. But most organisations in India – whether small, medium or large – have a casual approach to management of even basic contact information, leave alone donor data. Data is scattered and stored on filodexes, MS Excel sheets, cellphones, and even on scraps of paper. Even in large organisations, it is not uncommon to find different departments maintaining their own database, which leads to duplication and makes integrated database management impossible.

Database options in IndiaIt is true that Indian organisations are increasingly becoming aware of the need to maintain a database of contacts and donors, but the options are limited:

• International database software such as Raisers’ Edge, DonorPerfect and DonorAccess are way too expensive and much too complex for most Indian organisations and their limited fundraising and technological capability

• Large Indian and international grant making agencies have their own custom-built software, which is highly personalised

tips & tools

Jimmy Behlihomji, ChairpersonThe Central Society for the Education of the Deaf, Mumbai. www.csed.org

“We realised that we were disorganised in storing our contacts. After using a professional database, we are amazingly organised. We started with 200 contacts in 2004 and today it has grown to 600 donors. We regularly update information of our contacts and are confident the number will increase.”

22 I October 2008 Raisers’ Ask

Start with a basic contacts’ database and gradually build it up, says Raisers’ Ask

• A range of free and open source software is available but tech support is limited, which prevents organisations without technological capability from adopting these databases. Moreover, free software (for a limited number of records) such as eTapestry is not available to users in India

• Murray Culshaw Consulting’s Contact and Donor database is CD-Rom based and affordable, but requires organisations to be familiar with MS Access, and capacity for extensive customisation for large numbers of organisations is low. A more user friendly online version of the donor database is currently under development.

Build a basic contacts database firstYour organisation need not wait for the perfect database software to become available in order to establish a contacts database. Start with a basic framework on MS Excel if you must – usually data from Excel can be easily integrated into any new system you might later wish to adopt.

Once you have a basic structure in place, get everyone in the organisation to collect addresses and put into the database. These are the categories of contacts you might wish to store:

Individualsw Trustees/ Board membersw Network membersw Volunteersw Staff contacts

w Supporting professionals

w Consultants/ advisors

w Writers/ columnists, media personnel

w Government personnel

w Researchers, academics

w High net worth individuals known to the staff, board

w Diaspora

w Well-wishers

w Enquirers

w Visitors (from a visitors’ book!)

w Donors

Institutionsw Cooperating civil society organisationsw Members of associated networksw Social service organisations such as Rotaryw Religious, community groups/ institutions

Companiesw Suppliers, service providersw Local businesses/ institutionsw Shops and restaurantsw National and multinational companies

Grant-making agenciesw National trusts and foundationsw International grant-making agencies

Governmentw State departmentsw Central departmentsw Bilateral sources

tips & tools

w Multilateral sourcesA basic contacts database can easily be upgraded into a donor database, with keywords to differentiate between categories of contacts and donors.

Who owns the database? Everyone does!Maintaining and upgrading the database should be the responsibility of a person who is not just technologically sound, but who also understands how the information in the database will be used. The individual must be passionate about gathering and updating data, and about ensuring that information from the database is available for different purposes: labels for mailing, reports for analysis, and so on.

Here are some ideas for keeping your database in spiffy shape:

• Support the database manager by getting all staff and Board to collect addresses and visiting cards, and research potential sources of support.

• Create volunteer opportunities for students to enter or clean up data from time to time.

• Initiate a game with prizes for those who enter the most of number of addresses in the database.

No matter what software you choose, it is important that the organisation and all staff realise its importance and remain committed to updating information.

Remember, a database is only useful if it is current!

Raisers’ Ask October 2008 I 23

There’s only one way. But which is it?

If this is how you feel after a day looking at

databases, change your consultant. Source: www.sofii.org

RA Staff Correspondent

Classifieds

MCC – Murray Culshaw Consulting envisions a vibrant voluntary sector that engages with and secures widespread support from the public.

We strengthen voluntary organisations. To communicate the wonderful work they do, to people everywhere. To raise funds from diverse sources to sustain their work for as long as is needed. To become models of transparency that people would want to support.

We are looking for individuals with conviction in the importance of this work, and the passion and skills to make this happen.

We want people who can pay attention to detail, while keeping their eyes firmly on the dream.

Technology assistant, Bangalore You will be responsible for maintaining and updating the MCC database, acquire data on voluntary organisations, and assist in marketing database software products. The

job profile will include administrative responsibilities such as intranet management, invoicing, filing and information management.

You should have an understanding of and work experience in SQL, MS-Office/ Access and import/ export/ mapping of datasets. Experience in HTML would help. A minimum work experience of 1-2 years would be preferable (though freshers are also encouraged).

Salary: Up to Rs 1 lakh (gross)

Important: Apply by sending in your CV and clearly stating the position you have applied for.

ContactShireen KurianMCC - Murray Culshaw Consulting2nd Floor No. 80 KR ColonyDomlur LayoutBangalore 560 071careers@fundraising-india.org

Individuals with passion and conviction needed

Job Opportunities

A unique space for social action!Chatuvatike

Do you need space and support facilities for your ideas to grow? MCC has just what you need. We offer social entrepreneurs space for between one and 40 persons.

Good location Chatuvatike is a unique space for social enterprises coming up in north Bangalore – just inside the Outer Ring Road, on the south side of the Bharat Electronics Ltd corporate office.

Great atmosphereRub shoulders with and test ideas off other like-minded organisations and social enterprises in an atmosphere of mutual creative support. Chatuvatike provides workspace, formal and informal meeting facilities, a training room with a capacity of 30, an ever growing library, dining and recreation space, and several quiet green corners to

retire and think. We will share some central services such as reception, security, coffee/ tea and phone and Internet connectivity. Regardless of the size of your organisation, Chatuvatike will add value to your operations.

Rental or long lease will be less than market rates, while the facilities are much better than market. There is limited car parking and a good amount of two-wheeler parking.

Space available from 1 January 2009

Interested?Call Suguna:

080-2535 2003 or 98443-82604

email: suguna@fundraising-india.org

This is an initiative of MCC - Murray Culshaw Consulting Pvt. Ltd, Bangalore

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