Tiny Essentials of Fundraising

Neil Sloggie CFRE. The White Lion Press Limited.
Published 2002. £9.95+postage and packing
(for discounts on bulk orders please see order form).
Softback, 57 pages. ISBN 0-9518971-5-2.

Whatever their qualities, books on fundraising are rarely noted for being brief or particularly riveting. Neil Sloggie’s book changes all that.

What has been described as a ‘gem of a book’ can be read and its lessons digested in an hour at most. Fundraisers and others involved in the world of not-for-profits will consider it a very well-spent hour indeed. Just 57 pages, but each has one or more crucial lessons to impart.

Tiny Essentials of Fundraising tells the story of Kate, a recruit to the fundraising profession with an inquisitive nature and a burning desire to succeed. Tiny Essentials follows Kate as she visits three different fundraising organisations in a quest to find out what’s really important in her chosen new career.

Tiny Essentials of Fundraising is delightfully free of padding, waffle and over-blown theories. The book so lives up to its title that there’s just no room for anything other than the essence of what really matters in fundraising, and how to order your priorities.

In his short preface the author explains that there are a few fundamental strengths that most successful fundraising programmes have in common. Also, there are some errors that fundraisers all routinely make, no matter how long they’ve been in the business. In a friendly way, Neil Sloggie’s book illustrates the principles underlying a good fundraising programme and highlights some of the most frequently made mistakes.

For the price of a single dish at your favourite Indian restaurant or a bottle of not very impressive wine, this book will refresh your appetite for fundraising.

For those new to fundraising Tiny Essentials of Fundraising will give an informative, entertaining and inspirational introduction to their new career. More seasoned fundraisers will find it equally inspiring, provided they’re not afraid to admit they might enjoy and benefit from revisiting the essentials. Or if you are someone who would just welcome feeling good about fundraising, then this book is for you, too.