This presentation is from a workshop at the NCVO Funding Conference 2014, sponsored by Charity Bank. This presentation was given by Gillen Knight and Steve Cole, NCVO and explores how to put membership at the heart of your income strategy. Find out more about the NCVO Funding Conference 2014: http://www.ncvo.org.uk/training-and-events/funding-conference Find out more about the funding resources provided by NCVO: http://www.ncvo.org.uk/practical-support/funding

1. NCVO Funding
Conference 2014
Generating income in a complex
environment
Sponsored by:

2. Membership, Money and Mission – how
to put membership at the heart of your
income strategy
• Steve Cole
• Gillen Knight
• Claire Cousins

3. My background

6. 6 Key Drivers for changing
nature of membership
1) Changing sources of identity
2) Changing attitudes to money and
consumerism
3) Increasing availability of free information
4) The rise of the social web
5) Changing expectations of participation
6) The commodification of membership

7. Gillen Knight
Head of Enterprise and
Membership, NCVO
Members, money and mission –
how to put membership at the heart
of your income strategy
Twitter: @GilJKnight
Linked-in: uk.linkedin.com/in/gillenknight

8. @GilJKnight

9. @GilJKnight

10. @GilJKnight

11. Start with the basics
• Start charging, if you don’t already, for some types of
membership.
• Ramp up your recruitment. Simply get more members.
• Get members on Direct Debit – up to four times more
sticky.
• Ask. Ask members to regularly donate on top of their
membership fee.
• Create Gold, Founder, Patron or other high value special
memberships.
@GilJKnight

12. Then move on to mission driven
income generation through your
members. Innovate by:
@GilJKnight
 Fundraising through
members
 Trading with members
 Introducing members to
suppliers

13. It’s got to be mission driven, and
simple to understand
@GilJKnight
+ =

14. It’s still got to be mission driven
@GilJKnight

15. Practicalities
@GilJKnight
 Do you need to set up a trading company?
 VAT issues – beware – can be complex
 Reputation – need to manage the risks
 Don’t bet the farm
 Research, test, roll out rather than go in big
 Undertaken due diligence on any commercial
partners
 Team up with people who know what they are
doing, if you don’t. Be honest about this.
 Start with what you are good at
 Fail cheap, fail fast!

16. Further support
@GilJKnight
 NESTA - www.nesta.org.uk Funder and great
supporter of innovation
 NCVO’s Good Guide To Membership – From
www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/publications
 NCVO’s The Art of Raising Money – using
marketing to stabilise your income – From as
above.
 NCVO member helpline on VAT issues. www.ncvo-
vol.org.uk/VAT-advice
 Each other – network, stay in touch, share ideas

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