‘Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it’ – a quote attributed to George Santayana, American philosopher. So what do you know about the history of fundraising? And are you condemned to repeat it if you don’t know your fundraising history?

How do fundraisers learn that history?

Do  you learn from the longest standing member of staff the background to fundraising at your organisation? And because you tried something once 30 years ago you cannot do it again, or because you have been running the same Christmas Appeal for 20 years, you cannot change it?

Marina Jones, with Rogare, has been developing a fundraising history and this sector insight will give you a fun look through the history of fundraising from ancient Rome, via the Bayeux tapestry, to towers made from butter, to getting drunk to raise money. You will learn some surprising fundraising firsts from centuries ago including sheep in wheelbarrows, talking parrots and gangster donors.

This engaging, whirlwind tour will not only entertain, but also connect historical fundraising practices with the latest insights from neuroscience and decision science, showing you why these methods worked, and how you can adapt them for your future fundraising efforts. Learn from the past, and let it inspire your next big idea!

Who is it for? 

Anyone who is interested in learning more about fundraising traditions of the past, whether they work in fundraising themselves or not!