Leadership and Advancement in the Current Crisis - I wish we had started earlier!

Most institutions are struggling with the many implications of the current crisis and the impact it is having on them and their communities. We all hope that these huge challenges will be weathered and will be relatively short-lived. However, many are struggling, let alone flourishing. In particular, a reliance on a single, or very narrow, income base has put some at particular risk. At this early stage and as part of scenario planning, Cairney & Company are now being asked about emergency appeals - but is it too late for that? Are donors and supporters not struggling too? Have we been putting enough time and energy into engagement and relationships to provide a sound base for us now, and the future?

Now more than ever there is a need for institutions to engage with supporters to support and help them in a variety of different ways to find a way forward. It also highlights the continuing need for everyone in an organisation – and not least the Institutional Leader – to focus more on key external relationships. So many leaders only focus on fundraising and engagement when they feel the need is already urgent or great and even then, carving out the time to really focus on building and maintaining key relationships is too hard for many. Sir Eric Thomas, Former Vice Chancellor of Bristol University and author of the Thomas Report (2004) has for years been saying that we must re-consider the roles of Vice-Chancellors and Institutional Leaders if we are to build Philanthropy to significant levels across our universities. Preparation of future leaders for their roles in external engagement is still not significant enough and should be part of activity in the current climate more than ever.

Chairs of boards of governors often do not understand Philanthropy or Advancement in order to hold leaders to account and ensure that everyone is working together to reach ambitious goals. We still hear from leaders, too often, the phrase, ‘But I cannot beg,’ in the context of fundraising.

If more institutions had focused on engagement with key audiences earlier and if advancement was something that more leaders spent more time focused on, many would now be in stronger positions and would have much more significant supporter bases to call upon for time, advice and money.

So, is it too late? Or, is this an opportunity for leaders to really engage with key supporters and to ask for their advice and help? Could this unique situation provide the context for leaders to re-consider their roles and the activities that they can undertake to broaden the discussion? How can they involve more external friends in finding solutions and look ahead to the creation of a broader set of income streams and support networks? For the enlightened, it might be the biggest opportunity they have been gifted.

Here are some things that all Institutional Leaders can do right now:

Create a list of your top stakeholders: donors, alumni, corporate partners, the ones that you want to have by your side now and in the future.
Have the Principal, Head, Institutional Leader place a call (ideally a video call) to them to share your organisational plans to get you through the coming months; to ask how they are doing as they will also be facing personal and professional challenges; and to ask them to be part of your “creative team” to support each other through this unprecedented time.
Communicate, communicate, communicate. Stay in touch with them by email, phone MS Teams, and conference calls and continue to share your thoughts and plans as the current crisis evolves.

It may not be the right time for a broad appeal to donors, but it is the time to keep those close to you by your side as you walk through these unchartered waters together.

We continue to work with our clients during these times and we are speaking and listening to organisations, their donors and colleagues.