Every now and again, it helps to look at things from a different perspective.
By covering the fundraising patch at Third Sector, both my fellow reporter, Sophie Hudson, and I have grappled with the arguments for and against various forms of fundraising, the complex regulations that surround raising cash and the various fundraising strategies that charities adopt.
In short, we’ve become fluent in the language of the professional fundraiser: we know our PFRA from our FRSB and our ROI from our attrition rate.
But this week we’ll be seeing things from the other side: that of the beady-eyed, enthusiastic donor. We’re taking part in a charity challenge – to sleep rough in Spitalfields market in London. In November. Oh, and to raise £150 in less than a week.
The event takes place on Friday, and it’s for the charity Action for Brazil’s Children.
We’ll be blogging, tweeting and sharing photos and videos during our week of frantic fundraising and on the night. Our attempts at sponsorship and sleeping rough might be an invaluable chance to see what donors really think and how charities could improve their events fundraising. Or they might be a disastrous, humiliating failure.
Either way, it’s for a good cause.
If you’d like to sponsor us, go to our Virgin Money Giving page.