business and professional support in the voluntary sector - building relationships for mutual...
TRANSCRIPT
Business and Professional Support in the Voluntary Sector - Building
Relationships for Mutual Benefit
Dr Simon Davey, Managing Director,
Omega Alpha Limited (preponderate.network)
Topics (1)
What does business have to offer? Approaching businesses to support your
organisation (what, why and how) The difference between community support
and sponsorship What's in a relationship?
Topics (2)
What a business wants to offer and what an organisation wants - translation skills
What do voluntary/community organisations have to offer businesses
The meaning of 'mutual benefit' Why businesses contribute (and what they measure it
against) What can business offer community groups and the
community for sustainability
Free Lunch?
You’re hungry but I want to keep my lunch (I’m hungry too)
Hey, maybe I have enough to share Even better, why don’t you help me make
lunch?
Money, money, money…
Support is NOT (necessarily) money It can be better to give than receive (for both
parties) What is business/professional support all
about?
Approaching businesses to support your
organisation (what, why and how)
What do you want? Why do you want it? How do you want it?
The difference between community support and sponsorship
Is a business more than just a chequebook? What will you spend the money on? Is a solution to a problem better than cash in
hand? Does my business want a reputation for
helping to solve a local problem or for writing a large cheque?
What's in a relationship?
Better to give than receive? You need to build a bridge before you can
cross it! Relationships need to be mutually beneficial
and built over time Don’t look like a beggar – try some bartering
What a businesswants to offer and whatan organisation needs
Translation skills! B has time, C wants money B has a solution, C has a problem This is where mediators (brokers) come in Middle ground is there but it needs to be
worked out You can’t have what the business doesn’t have
(or want to give)
What dovoluntary/community organisations
have to offer businesses
New experience (opportunity for business staff to learn new skills in new surroundings – holistic project experience)
Training (issue-based e.g. diversity, disability) Better image in the community (reputation) Opportunity for business to engage locally Help promote business to potential employees
The meaning of 'mutual benefit'
Mutual – felt or done by each to or towards each other
Benefit – a favourable, helpful or profitable factor or circumstance
Think of an example…
Why businesses contribute (and what they measure it against)
Businesses measure the ‘bottom line’ or ‘triple bottom line’ – economic, social, environmental
Businesses need to engage local communities (customers, authorities, safe environments, licence to operate)
Measured against revenues, profits, social impact, impact of community support
What businesses want from their support
Impact – what did the support achieve? Visibility – PR, local impact Meaning – did it actually mean anything? (be
wary of taking ‘meaningless support’)
What can businessoffer community groups and the
community for sustainability
Time – project based volunteers (lawyers, IT consultants, managers, painters, reading help etc.)
Skills – specific support (help with a lease, sorting out IT/management issues, training courses)
Money - a little cash goes a long way (but how is it spent?)
Resources – meeting rooms (event hosting), spare equipment (not OLD equipment): especially large businesses
Case Study: preponderate and Omega Alpha
Preponderate is a network of consultants (mostly IT and management) providing trusted cross-sector solutions to clients whilst supporting the local communities in which they work. Omega Alpha is a member of preponderate.
How does preponderate support the local community
Money – NO (why not?) Resources – NO, mostly virtual network,
limited physical resources to share Time – YES, minimum of 1% of time applied to
‘pro bono’ support across the network Skills – YES, consultants use skills to identify
and solve specific problems/issues within community groups
Example project: Potters’ Field
Small charity needs to market themselves to wide range of (potential) contacts (with no money)
Potential solutions: Give them money (What will they spend it on and how well?) Identify the real problem, identify a potential solution and
implement it
We built them a website (don’t try this at home)
Example project: Professionals in the Community
Volunteer brokerage about to be closed down (no funds, no ongoing management)
Potential solutions: Give them money (What will they spend it on and how well?) Identify the real problem, identify a potential solution and
implement it
We worked with members and led the organisation (part-time) for six months…
Not everything works out well in the end…
Show me the money – what’s in a business case?
Every time a business wants to spend money, it needs to justify it. This is called the business case.
What will you do better with my cash that I can’t do better with my resources?
So how does this help me?
Know what you need (not what you want) Research your potential providers Use the most appropriate contact manner
(broker?) Have something to offer in return Build the relationship before you ask for a shirt
off their back