SESSION 1
Get in Where you Fit in: Finding Your Place in the Community-Centric Fundraising Movement with Rachel D’Souza-Siebert

For the last few decades, donor-centered fundraising has been the standard practice and with all the resources acquired, many nonprofits continue to operate in a space of harm reduction where their mission and vision are yet to be achieved. It also maintains a power dynamic that positions those with resources at the center of decisions rather than the community and stakeholders the nonprofit seeks to serve.

Community-Centric Fundraising launched as a movement in 2020 amidst the coronavirus pandemic and the reignition of protests in the the wake of George Floyd’s murder. The movement seeks to dismantle the traditions and systems in funding relationships that have not served the organization or centered stakeholders. While institutional funders are beginning to adopt a “justice philanthropy” mindset, there is much to learn about Community-Centric Fundraising. This session will offer practical tools, tips and ideas that nonprofit staff can implement immediately, and also clarify how donor-centric and Community-Centric practices can co-exist.

Rachel D’Souza-Siebert is the Founder + Principal of Gladiator Consulting (https://www.gladiatorrds.com/), a boutique consultancy with a holistic approach to nonprofit capacity building. Through Gladiator, Rachel has combined her knowledge of Organizational Culture & Resource Development with her deep personal commitment to centering community, seeking justice and creating belonging for those who have been disenfranchised or targeted by institutions, systems and policy.

ABCD for Cultural Recovery

The disruption of the pandemic brought together over 100 creatives in Brighton & Hove to explore how arts & culture can be more inclusive, sustainable and collaborative in the City in the future. This resulted in a recovery plan that runs to the end of 2022 and has so far raised over £400k for the cultural sector in the City. The plan is overseen by an independent group of people formed of a Governance Group and a series of Working Groups. Our aims are to create paid work and professional opportunities for creative workers in the City, to develop a more inclusive cultural offer and to encourage partnership working to strengthen the creative sector in the long term. Our partners include Brighton & Hove City Council, Arts Council England, Brilliant Brighton Business Improvement District, the Pebble Trust and many funded arts organisations in the City. To find out more and/or get involved visit cultureinourcity.com

Session Funded by
Arts Fundraising & Philanthropy (https://artsfundraising.org.uk/) works to empower cultural professionals from across the sector by supporting them to develop their practice and to find creative, entrepreneurial new approaches to fundraising.