Philanthropy and fundraising
We work with organisations to develop fundraising strategies and programs based on philanthropy and sponsorship.

One of the key differences between philanthropy in Australia and in the USA is that Australians are much more reluctant to ask people for money than are Americans, but this is slowly changing, and Australians are more ready to give than we often think they are.
The art is in the timing.
Philanthropic programs will not be effective unless the whole organisation, including the board or governing body, owns the program and the strategies it is based on, and plays their part.
Our Approach
“I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard a board member say, ‘Oh, I can’t ask people for money!’, because one of the most common comments I hear from donors is that they were surprised how long it took before they were actually asked to give.”
- Frank Howarth
We work with organisations to develop fundraising strategies and programs based on philanthropy and sponsorship.
Our capacity is based on the experience Frank Howarth has accumulated in developing fundraising programs and foundations at the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, the Australian Museum in Sydney, and subsequent philanthropic research and consultancies.
Our approach is holistic: an organisation’s fundraising strategy must be based on the organisation’s overall strategy.
Donors and sponsors want to see that an organisation knows where it is going and what its aspirations are. Even if we work to develop, say, a specific bequest program, then we need to see that it’s linked to a strategic approach.
Australian cultural institution boards often don’t have the clear philanthropic mandate of our American colleagues, and are sometimes reluctant to take on that role. But boards do need to play a key role, and that might be at minimum by opening doors and accessing their contact networks.
The same applies to local government where elected councillors may not be familiar or comfortable with fundraising to support arts and culture.
We work with boards, trusts and councils to change those attitudes.
At least as important as the governing body’s role is the role of the key operational staff in fundraising. Potential donors love engaging with curators, designers, collection managers and researchers. Such key staff bring the reality of support to potential and actual donors.
We work with those staff to introduce them to fundraising concepts, to break down misconceptions, and to turn them into advocates.
Find out more
Contact us to discuss how we can help you and your organisation develop and implement fundraising strategies.
Phone: +61 (0)419 492 201
Email: info@frankhowarth.com.au
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