What's in a name?

The speech towards the end of the film ‘I Daniel Blake’ included the statement:

“I am not a client, a customer, nor a service user”

It is a powerful reminder of the importance of words when used as labels. Anyone who has felt processed when trying to access their rights or a service can relate to how Daniel Blake feels. But exactly what to call ‘the people that a charity is set up to support’ is a problem. You need to call them something in your communications, but however factual or descriptive the chosen term may appear, the word can easily become a loaded, political and contested label.

The different words used for the people supported include clients, service users, members, companions, customers, mentees. There are lots of debates about which is the ‘right’ term to use. For example, some say that ‘service user’ is a useful, neutral term whilst others state that it is too impersonal and does not imply any relationship. When shortened to ‘user’ it has negative associations with substance misuse or someone manipulating others to get what they want.

Which words get used also changes over time. In grant making, there are a range of terms for the one with the money: funder, grant maker, philanthropist, investor. Although potentially neutral terms, the first two convey a more traditional approach. The latter two seem to be on the increase and suggest a more current and engaged approach. Calling yourself a philanthropist, social investor or impact investor seems to be more exciting and carry more status. Traditional funders now talk about investing in those supported e.g. the Arts Council “we invest in art and culture for a lasting return”. This could be a passing fashion or a genuine shift to deeper and more equal partnerships between funder and funded.

There don’t seem to be many different terms used for those getting the funding. They are mainly referred to as grant holders, grant recipients or grantees. It will be interesting to see if new terms come which describe those funded more as ‘partners’. And what I think we really need is a new term for those who benefit from the grant, the ‘beneficiaries’. Again, this is a descriptive term but I have yet to meet anyone who describes themselves in this way and it brings to mind a real Victorian sense of the deserving poor deriving good from a distant ‘benefactor’. It is very much someone on the receiving end and not an active agent contributing their assets. So we are back to what to call them: clients, service users, citizens, stakeholders etc?

Given we do need to use something to describe people, I think it is important that charities check the term they use with those they support. My practice is to ask each charity I visit what they call their service users/members/clients and trust that they have checked that this really is the stated preference of those described. It still leaves me with the unsatisfactory term ‘beneficiary’ so if you have any suggestions for a better word, then please do get in touch.

Emma Beeston Consultancy advises funders and philanthropists on giving strategies and processes; researching and scoping options; selecting causes and charities; assessments and impact monitoring. www.emmabeeston.co.uk ; emma@emmabeeston.co.uk; @emmabeeston01

What pumpkins tell us about impact measurement

The upside of not being able to sleep some nights, is that I get to listen to random features on the wonderful BBC World Service. Around Halloween there was an interesting programme all about pumpkins. And mainly about the huge amounts of waste involved when there is such high demand for pumpkins over a very short period. Did you know the majority of pumpkins bought at Halloween are carved up and then go to waste? Around 5 million pumpkins end up in landfill each year in the UK.

Pumpkin carving used to be the by-product of the edible pumpkin season but now the market has flipped on its head with decoration driving demand. The result is that pumpkins grown to be carved no longer taste nice. As one chef puts it: “Decorative pumpkins are grown with colour, structural strength, a flat bottom, and a sturdy stem as their main attributes. The flesh tends to be bland, watery, and fibrous. No one cares because they're going to be carved, not eaten.”

So what on earth has all this to do with impact measurement?

Measuring your outcomes and impact started off as an internal tool. It is a useful way for charities to decide where to allocate resources; where services can be improved; how your model benchmarks against others. It can also motivate staff and volunteers as they can see the difference they make. The by-product is that it is a good way to demonstrate to funders and other supporters the impact of your work. Funders often ask about how a charity measures its outcomes and how it uses this data to determine if this is an organisation that is still meeting a need, learning and adapting.

But just as with pumpkin carving, the situation is in danger of being flipped on its head with the wish to demonstrate the outcomes and impact externally now driving the process. Some charities are monitoring their outcomes not because they want to learn from this but because they know it is what they are supposed to do to get certain funding. I know I have been asked “what do you want us to measure?” And some commissioners are directing which frameworks or outcomes a charity must use.

If the external driver for impact measurement dominates, then we could end up with considerable waste as charities spend time gathering data that they don’t use, or implement systems in a token way. As funders, we need to convey the message that, whilst being able to understand the difference a charity makes is important to us, it is even more important that the charity adopts impact measurement systems that are appropriate for their clients and the nature of their work; proportionate to their size and resources; and that helps inform and improve their service delivery. We want our tasty soup first and then the lantern.

http://www.redindustries.co.uk/2016/10/scary-waste-facts-released

Emma Beeston Consultancy advises funders and philanthropists on giving strategies and processes; researching and scoping options; selecting causes and charities; assessments and impact monitoring. www.emmabeeston.co.uk ; emma@emmabeeston.co.uk; @emmabeeston01

Reasons to be cheerful

Depending how you get your news, it can easily feel that we are living in gloomy and uncertain times. So, as the evenings get darker, it is important to keep looking for the positives that are all around us. Not to delude ourselves (as my teenage son puts it when I endeavour to be cheerful, “life is not all rainbows and butterflies”) but to give us hope that positive change is possible.

These are the reasons to be cheerful that I have gathered over the past few weeks and that give me cause for optimism:

I attended a training session for small charities supporting refugees across the SW, which was co-hosted by Unbound and Lloyds Bank Foundation. I was very impressed by the fact that, despite the considerable difficulties they face to deliver vital front line services, all the charity leaders were also working to achieve systemic change. And one of the advocacy trainers reminded us all that the campaign to abolish the slave trade was started by just 12 people coming together.

The Funding Network held a live crowdfunding event in Bristol. The pitches were excellent – getting your case for support across in six minutes is no mean feat – and over £25k was raised for the five good causes. These were all small organisations where this level of funding, and the recognition, will make a big difference. But what struck me was the positive energy in the room created by people coming together and wanting to help.

I got to visit Exeter CoLab as they hosted the latest meeting of the Funding SW funders forum. This is such a good example of bringing services together to tackle social issues. I liked the focus on relationships, with those in difficulty telling their story just once and then being introduced to the individuals who can help them, rather than being constantly referred from one organisation after the next.

I have started using 360Giving. After so many years of talking about data sharing and transparency, it is fantastic to have this open resource where you can see who has given grants to who. Do take a look (www.threesixtygiving.org) and if you are a grant-maker, add your data.

The millennials are coming and they are going to change things. I have been reading lots of research showing how millennials want to combine working with doing good. And this includes their activity in philanthropy and investment e.g. a World Economic Forum study surveyed 5,000 millennials in 18 different countries and found that their overall top priority for any business should be “to improve society.” This is one article with some examples of what the next generation are up to: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2016/10/26/millennials-changing-world_n_4440539.html?utm_hp_ref=social-change

And these are just some examples. I have also visited and read about lots of other excellent charities who are working really hard to bring about positive social change. Thanks to all of them for giving me hope for our collective future.

http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_II_FromMarginsMainstream_Report_2013.pdf

Emma Beeston Consultancy advises funders and philanthropists on giving strategies and processes; researching and scoping options; selecting causes and charities; assessments and impact monitoring. www.emmabeeston.co.uk ; emma@emmabeeston.co.uk; @emmabeeston01

Reflections on being a Trustee

After 6 years, I recently stood down from being a Trustee of a great charity, Penny Brohn UK. The Trustee role and charity governance is under a huge amount of scrutiny at the moment and hardly a day goes by without some challenge (e.g. about whether Trustees should stay volunteers) or some direction (e.g. questions Trustees should ask about fundraising). I did not stop being a Trustee for any negative reason or because of the pressures of the role. It seemed like the right time to stop after many years and due to other time commitments. Would I be a Trustee again? Yes. Would I recommend being a Trustee? Absolutely.

Any ending is a time for reflection, so here is what I gained from being a Trustee:

Emotional connection – I have talked before that as a funder you are slightly detached and miss out on the shared energy of working for a common cause. Having a more engaged role with just one charity meant I could really connect with the cause, our clients and supporters.

Perspective – just as travelling reminds you that ‘the way we do things’ is not the only way things have to be done, so being a Trustee allowed me to experience and be part of an organisation that is managed differently. I could take that learning to other charities I met and vice versa.

Reality check – in my day job I read and assess lots of plans and funding strategies. Reviewing these and forming an opinion is one thing, being responsible for the income flow quite another. I felt the risk, the worry about cashflow, the disappointment when a bid is turned down. This helped me to remember the importance, as a funder, of things like prompt payments, constructive feedback, the need for diverse income streams and the difficulty of planning in uncertainty.

New experiences – as a Trustee I have been involved in decisions and experiences I would not normally get to do. I have walked on hot coals, asked major donors for support, met Prince Charles, had to decide about cutting down lovely old trees, learn about pension auto-enrolment and the details of loan agreements.

Being valued – the charitable sector has a long history of supporting volunteers. The prime motivation of volunteers is to give something back or make a difference. As a volunteer Trustee I was no different – it is a good feeling when you give your time and expertise to something that matters and are recognised for doing so.

Being a Trustee is an important role. You are responsible for making progress towards a vital aim and caretaker of staff, volunteers, buildings and hopes. It is great to do this as part of a team and it really is incredibly rewarding. I recommend it to you all.

Emma Beeston Consultancy advises funders and philanthropists on giving strategies and processes; researching and scoping options; selecting causes and charities; assessments and impact monitoring. www.emmabeeston.co.uk ; emma@emmabeeston.co.uk; @emmabeeston01

Let's be more "charity-like"

I noticed at a recent meeting that the term “being business-like” was used as a shorthand for a well-managed charity. Now I do agree that charities and other non-profits can learn from the best of business practice and the increased attention on getting the financial and business model right to try and secure sustainability for vital services is a good thing.

There is a welcome increase in businesses giving time for employees to share their expertise with charities and providing pro bono help – for example, Business in The Community has over 400 professional firms in its ProHelp network; LawWorks helps smaller groups find free legal advice and The Whitehouse Consultancy run an annual pro-bono scheme providing support from their political consultants to a charity without the means to get involved in the political debate (see links below).

However, not all businesses are well run and not all practices are appropriate to the charitable sector. How well would a business manage when all its ‘customers’ are experiencing severe trauma? How well would they cope with a doubling of demand, but with no additional resources and providing a service that is free?

It got me thinking about the reverse situation. What would “being charity-like” mean for businesses?

Here was the list I came up with for what for-profits can learn from not-for-profits:

1.       How to motivate people – when you can’t do so through large salaries and bonuses

2.       How to be lean – this may be one of the latest buzzwords for companies but charities have been delivering quality services on limited resources for years

3.       How to stay positive – these are tough times and I am always struck by the optimistic outlook most charity leaders hold despite the odds

4.       Embedding values at the heart of delivery – charities often live and breathe their values in ways corporates can only wonder at

So while we are quick to look to business to fill some gaps in charitable practice, we should also remember that we have approaches and expertise to exchange.

http://www.bitc.org.uk/programmes/prohelp

https://www.lawworks.org.uk/legal-advice-not-profits

http://www.whitehouseconsulting.co.uk/about-us/corporate-social-responsibility/

Emma Beeston Consultancy advises funders and philanthropists on giving strategies and processes; researching and scoping options; selecting causes and charities; assessments and impact monitoring. www.emmabeeston.co.uk ; emma@emmabeeston.co.uk; emmabeeston01

Do you give enough?

There are plenty of opportunities to give to good causes and there is also great scope in the UK for philanthropists to give more. NPC’s recent report into ways to increase and improve philanthropy (see link) reminded me that donors are not always motivated to give by the impact they can make but often are encouraged to give by their peers. “Whether giving a large one-time charitable donation or deciding on one’s annual giving level, most people want to give in line with the perceived average amount.”

If you search giving on Google, then the questions that come up such as ‘How much to give as pocket money?’ ‘How much to spend on a wedding present?’ confirm that there are strong social norms at play that mean we want to know what other people give. No charity is going to be offended (or know) if you give too much or too little yet many donors still want to make sure they are in line with the average.

So how much do other people give?

Well, if you are rich enough to take the Giving Pledge then you are asked to commit ‘the majority of your wealth’. For the rest of us, the expectation is that we give somewhere between 1% and 10%.

In Christianity the faithful are supposed to give a tithe, which means a tenth of their earnings. In Islam, the required charitable contribution is called Zakat and is 2.5% of your wealth each year. In the Jewish faith, tzedakah, means giving away 10% of your income.

The Life You Can Save has a calculator to help you work out 1% of your annual income (see link) and this is the minimum amount we should all give suggested by effective altruist, Peter Singer. There are other organisations promoting giving 1% including Philanthropy Ireland’s ‘The One Percent Difference’ campaign. Their idea is that anyone can afford 1% and the aim is to double the giving levels in Ireland. “The idea is simple, it doesn’t matter who you are or what you do, we all give the same – 1%.”

So to increase philanthropy some role models giving more than 10% could be really helpful – especially when unlocking the wealth of high-net-worth individuals whose giving in 2015 equated to just 0.1% of their wealth (see link). But in the meantime, check your annual giving and see if you can increase it. Because rather than fitting in with the average, we should all seek to stand out in our giving.

http://www.thinknpc.org/publications/giving-more-and-better/

https://www.thelifeyoucansave.org/Take-the-Pledge

http://www.onepercentdifference.ie/

http://www.philanthropy-impact.org/sites/default/files/pdf/pi_magazine_12_final_web.pdf

Emma Beeston Consultancy advises funders and philanthropists on giving strategies and processes; selecting causes and charities; assessments and impact monitoring. Tell what social change you want to see and I will help you find organisations already working to achieve this, who will make great use of your financial support. www.emmabeeston.co.uk ; emma@emmabeeston.co.uk; emmabeeston01

Charles Dickens was a philanthropy advisor

My summer reading included Rhodri Davies’ fascinating new book ‘Public Good by Private Means: How Philanthropy Shapes Britain’. In it I was delighted to learn that Charles Dickens was a philanthropy advisor. In the late 19^th century he advised Angela Burdett-Coutts on her giving and helped screen and select applications. As a philanthropy advisor myself, it was pleasing to find myself amongst such illustrious company.

So how has philanthropy advice developed since Dickens’s day? When setting up my consultancy business, the advice I was given fell into two main camps:

1.  People don’t value philanthropy advice and won’t pay for it;
2. This is an under-developed market in the UK and likely to grow.

Obviously I am banking on 2. being correct. So it was interesting to read Cath Tilotson’s latest research into the philanthropy advice market in the UK for Philanthropy Impact (see link). The research found that only 1 in 5 professional advisory firms (accountants, tax advisers, wealth managers etc.) offered philanthropy advice and then it was patchy.  And Joanna Walker states in her white paper for Boncerto (see link): “the philanthropy advice sector has largely remained static over the last few years - when by now it should have fulfilled its enormous potential”.

There are a number of philanthropic advice specialists in the UK such as CAF, New Philanthropy Capital, Boncerto and I am aware of some sole traders and other small outfits like me. But this is nothing compared to the size of the industry in America where philanthropists can access 1,300 Chartered Advisors in Philanthropy alone. There is clearly much still to do to make the case for and grow philanthropy advice in the UK.

There is a real opportunity here – with gains not just for advisors but also for those they support since those wealthy individuals who do seek advice tend to give more.  

So whether a Dickens or not – do contact me if you are a Philanthropy Advisor. It would be great to discuss how we raise our profile together. And if you are one of the 4 out of 5 private client advisors who don’t yet offer philanthropy advice, please get in touch.

Learning to give: lessons for advisers and would-be philanthropists in Philanthropy Impact Magazine Issue 12: Special Edition June 2016

http://www.philanthropy-impact.org/sites/default/files/pdf/pi_magazine_12_final_web.pdf

Growing philanthropy advice - Joanna Walker for Boncerto July 2016

http://www.boncerto.com/assets/files/Philanthropy-Advice.pdf

Emma Beeston Consultancy advises funders and philanthropists on giving strategies and processes; researching and scoping options; selecting causes and charities; assessments and impact monitoring. www.emmabeeston.co.uk ; emma@emmabeeston.co.uk; emmabeeston01