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Author: Vice Chair CIM Charity & Social Marketing SIG

My name is Sarah Raine, and I am the Chair of the Charity and Social Marketing Special Interest Group at the CIM. I have over 25 years of experience across both the not-for-profit and commercial sectors and alongside a BA Hons in Marketing & Modern Languages, I also recently completed an MA in Philanthropic Studies (2020-2022). I am a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (FCIM) and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising (MCIOF).

My agency, Colley Raine & Associates, was developed as a full-service marketing agency without the hefty price tag to support charities and small businesses. Founded in 2018, we provide project-based and long-term support in fundraising, marketing strategy, communications, events and CRM. We support charities and small businesses that need extra resources to support their team or to deliver specific projects. The agency has committed to a minimum of 30% of its work being delivered at a discounted charity rate.

As the new Chair of the Charity and Social Marketing Special Interest Group at the CIM, and somebody who has worked in and for the NFP sector for many years, I am keen to find out what the key issues are facing our members.

In my day job speaking with our charity clients, I hear similar issues being faced by marketing and fundraising teams; reductions in marketing budgets but increases in target income, ever-decreasing headcount or multi-tasking staff juggling to deliver it, dumbing down of impactful messaging to ‘play it safe’ but not converting into enough income and a drastic reduction in ad-hoc donations for all, and regular giving too for some causes.

We all want to make a difference, so I'd really love to hear from you...

What are the issues you are currently facing?

How can we help support you at the CIM?

Is the cost of living crisis entirely to blame for the reduction in charitable donations?

Are people so overwhelmed with asks from so many causes, across so many different marketing channels, that they have ‘switched off’ their compassion radar?

So finally, if you haven’t yet filled in our survey, we would love to hear from you, whether you are a CIM Member or not, to find out what we can do to better support you. 

Thank you

Sarah