SHARED Enterprise Resources

Writing to ask others to support your project is a key part of all fundraising.  The resources in this section will guide you in that task.

A core strand of fundraising is asking individuals to give you money.  The resources in this section include introductory articles, expert guides to the subject and also case studies from museums who have had real success in this area.

Fundraising works best when it’s been well thought through.  Writing a fundraising strategy is an essential step in organising your thinking, working out what you need and who to approach to get it.  The resources in this section include guidance and template documents, videos on YouTube, and case studies from museums which have successfully developed their fundraising plans and strategies.  Fundraising strategy is a big subject!  Some of the resources here look at the whole picture and others focus on one or two specific aspects.  We suggest you browse the resources and go back to read again those which seem most relevant to your situation.

An important strand of SHARED Enterprise’s work was to help museums approach businesses for their support.  This is a relatively new area for smaller museums.  The resources include an overview of what it’s like working with businesses (or corporates as they are sometimes known) as well as a case study from a museum which has successfully developed a relationship with business.

People have been leaving money and property in their wills to organisations like charities and museums for centuries.  The resources in this section – including an overview type document, a case study from a museum which has successfully developed legacy giving and a YouTube video – will help you to understand both the legalities of legacies and also the sensitivities.

Many independent museums are constituted as charities and most of these have trustees who are ultimately responsible for their operation, including fundraising!  The need for trustees to engage actively in finance and fundraising has increased greatly in recent years.  Some museums have Friends groups who support them in a variety of ways, again usually including fundraising.  The resources in this section are aimed at helping you to increase your understanding of how trustees and Friends can and should support fundraising for museums.  The resources include templates to review the skills your trustees have and role descriptions to help you recruit people with the right skills into the roles as well as a YouTube video.

The focus of SHARED Enterprise was on fundraising rather than increasing earned income.  However, a small number of resources have been produced which will help you to think about how you can be more commercially minded.  Several museums in the East of England now offer their facilities for weddings, and others have developed a more commercial outlook as a result of the SHARED Enterprise work.  These are included, along with two case studies, in the resources.

Digital fundraising provides opportunities for museums which could not be imagined just 15 years ago.  The resources include links to external websites which will be updated regularly, advice on how to approach digital fundraising, a YouTube video and a case study from a museum which has successfully started to fundraise online.

When charities think of fundraising, especially for projects, they often think of Trusts and Foundations.  These are often charities themselves, with the remit to distribute grant funding to social enterprises and charities which work directly with beneficiaries.  As museums’ finances have shrunk the demand on these grant-giving organisations has increased.  The resources here include expert guidance on how to approach grant-making Trusts and Foundations and a YouTube video.