For Trócaire, relationships make all the difference in tough times – The Irish Times

Charities depend on fundraising; The more crises the world faces, the more funds they need. Unfortunately, in a time of seemingly endless emergencies, with the existential threat of climate change looming, donors risk becoming like rabbits who don’t know what to do next, just when their help is needed most.

This is a phenomenon familiar to Sarah Kiernan, a member of Trócaire’s fundraising team.

“We must recognize that donor fatigue has translated into more than just people being burned out by the constant demands on the philanthropic side. There is now a general sense of overwhelm arising from the magnitude and seemingly relentless nature of the crises affecting the world today, from ongoing conflicts to the far-reaching consequences of climate change,” says Kiernan.

“People are bombarded by news and social media, and even their own networks are now largely consumed by the enormous challenges we face. However, in Ireland we are extremely lucky to have some of the most generous, compassionate and resilient people in the world who continually come back again and again to support those who are less fortunate.

Trócaire’s teams are “consistently humbled by the unwavering loyalty of our donors who support us even when faced with challenges,” he says.

“We all have great admiration for our donors and the most rewarding days for staff are those when we can open the post and read handwritten letters from a child who sold a piece of cake and raised €140, or the woman who donated a penny of her pension to make a difference to someone’s life.”

With the cost of living crisis still causing pain and prices remaining high even as inflation eases, the charity is advising people that they should only support what they can.

“We are working hard with our donors on the language we use for this purpose, and it is important to acknowledge the times we are in and understand that not everyone will be able to support us in the same way they used to,” says Kiernan.

The ability of any charity to raise funds from the public depends on one thing: trust. Having it is his fundraising superpower.

“We’ve been working with at-risk communities around the world for 50 years, so there’s a huge history there and we’ve built a trust where people believe strongly in the work we do and our ability to do it. But we will never take that trust for granted and we will be as transparent with them as possible and build our relationship as much as possible.” we will try to make it as two-way as possible,” says Kiernan.

“In challenging times for the aid sector, it will be the relationships you build and the trust in your organization that will help you get through uncertain times when help is needed more than ever.”

Trócaire works hard to make donors feel engaged, too.

“One of the things we feel very passionately about is sharing the good news with our donors about what their generosity has achieved. In these times it is important to show people that they are making a difference,” says Kiernan.

“We reach people in need, we build hospitals, we make sure school-age children have a hot meal a day, we create programs to help mothers feel safe and supported. All of this work is only possible thanks to the support our donors give us; so empowering them with these stories is very important.”

Kiernan adds that the narrative element is also important.

“We don’t bombard people with facts and figures and big, lofty statements. It’s about the unique stories of individuals that people can relate to. “We also try to provide positive news and different aspects of people’s lives so that they feel connected and not helpless,” he explains.

“In a world where the enormity of the problems makes us all feel small and helpless, it is the kindness of donors and supporters that can make all the difference. “So we’re celebrating that as much as possible, and we think we’ll continue to work with them, our incredible local partners and the communities they work with, for as long as we’re needed.”