Client Overview
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As an agency which places a huge focus on the use of emotion in fundraising, it felt like an easy “yes” to work with a charity putting joy at the centre of their work. Clowns Without Borders brings laughter and play to children in the most complex of settings - whether in refugee camps overseas, areas affected by natural hazards, or asylum centres in the UK. Giving children the freedom to play, and to experience joy, is about more than the moment - it supports their wellbeing, the recovery from the traumas they have faced, and helps them make sense of their world.
When Samantha Holdsworth, Chief Clown and CEO, approached Fireside, she was seeking help to understand the opportunity corporate fundraising might offer, bring focus to their approach, and to engage the wider organisation, including the Board, in what is needed for a successful corporate fundraising programme to thrive.
‘As the funding landscape shifted and unrestricted became harder to come by we needed to learn how to position ourselves. As a small organisation we knew we needed to make a compelling and appropriate ask, but we couldn’t do that by ourselves.’
Background
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Clowns Without Borders has historically relied on other international organisations for financial support - but at a time when this funding is becoming much harder to come by, they knew they needed to future-proof their approach to funding. They have a very engaged and enthusiastic Board, who were committed to supporting this, but needed a safe pair of hands to help them consider what was realistic based on the in-house skills and expertise available, and to prioritise opportunities, to support the development of a plan based in the reality of the organisation.
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Samantha Holdsworth, Chief Clown and CEO said: ​
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‘We are a micro-charity, so we needed someone to come in, truly understand us and what we need, and make it hyper relevant and do-able. Not everyone gets our scale, but Fireside really met us where we are and understood how best to work with us to get to where we needed to.’
Approach
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Fireside worked with Clowns Without Borders in two ways. Firstly, through a development day with key internal stakeholders, including the Board, we created a space to focus on the problem CWB borders exists to solve. By exploring the skills and approaches they have in-house, they were then able to prioritise how best to use their time and expertise to maximise impact.
Secondly, armed with this groundwork, CWB worked through our supported study programme, the Firestarter Kit - mixing self-study with practical coaching sessions to consolidate the learning.
‘The approach and learning is always based in this deep sector knowledge - in real-life case studies and evidence. It’s never in a vacuum. It always feels relevant and tailored. The pacing was really helpful - there’s accountability built in because there’s regular contact and an expectation of what has been achieved between sessions. It makes learning by doing so fundamental.”
Results
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Clowns Without Borders has seen a huge internal shift as a result of this work, and are beginning to sow seeds with future corporate partners. ‘We now have an approach established and are building relationships which feels miraculous in a short length of time. When we started this work we knew nothing; now we are clear what an effective partnership looks like. We are now able to reach out with a suite of offers, and we know what we can give back that provides reciprocal value.
Our internal literacy around fundraising has improved so much: increasing general understanding around fundraising internally and with trustees, and building a mindset that isn’t about asking for money but about collaborating to build effective relationships. Starting off based in reality meant that when we looked at our aspiration for growth, we knew it could be achievable. And our new-found focus has enabled us to identify important contacts at key organisations that we had no idea about before. We are so excited to be on the path we are now on!’
Client Insights
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‘The process of bringing together people from across the organisation was a rich, positive and insightful experience. Fireside gave us the opportunity to create space to think about ourselves and develop our own way forward, using their broad real-world examples to add to our understanding of the possible.
There’s no jargon, no barriers to entry - you DO have the capacity if you decide to commit because Fireside will meet you where you are. The structure makes it as easy as possible for you. And the best thing is it’s demystifying. Now we have the learning, we can repeat the processes we’ve been through for different scenarios - we don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
For anyone who knows they want to do more but don’t know where to start: this is where to go!’
Get in touch
Want to find out how Fireside could work with you to create your emotional, logical and credible way of explaining why an individual or organisation should support your charity? Contact us today on andy@firesidefundraising.com
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