CHARITY CHIEF EXECUTIVE

In a cost-of-living crisis, you need to fundraise smarter, not harder…

Every penny counts for most people in the current economic situation and so fundraising is extra-challenging. 96% of the funding at Cavendish comes from donations but our fundraising team is small, so we need to focus our efforts. We’ve redoubled our efforts with our corporate clients by offering a package of wellbeing courses and tools they can use in return for a donation. We tap into national giving campaigns such as Movement for Good and we also have great relationships with local organisations who support us in lots of ways, as you can see in the picture of me here with an auction prize gifted by Sheffield United.

Charities need strategic direction and water-tight financial planning too…

There can be a perception that smaller non-profits and charities operate in a less business-focused way. However, my previous work was as a director in a private sector company, so I’m very focused on Cavendish being run as professionally as any corporate entity. We’re developing a new strategic plan for the next five years which will enable us to develop new areas of work whilst continuing to deliver the services which are so vital for people affected by cancer.

There’s a silver lining in every crisis if you look for it…

The Covid-19 pandemic was difficult for many businesses but for a cancer charity delivering face-to-face services to vulnerable people it could have spelled disaster. We very quickly had to pivot to delivering services online where possible and looking at ways to fundraise when actual events weren’t allowed. The positive to this is that we now have a range of courses and classes accessible online that we will be further developing over the next year to allow even more people to use our services.

The wellbeing of your team should be front and centre…

My team of staff are working with people who are going through some of their darkest days, and it would be impossible for them to not bear some of that burden. At Cavendish we put the health and wellbeing of our staff first and we operate flexible working policies to enable a good work-life balance. My team could easily get better paid jobs outside of the charity sector, so you have to look for other ways to value them.

Your Board of Trustees should support and challenge you as CEO…

Having an effective board that sets a clear strategy and has a strong oversight is crucial for a charity to succeed. I’m lucky to have a great set of board members and I regularly tap into their considerable expertise to guide me in my role as CEO. It’s essential to have a Chairperson who is prepared to give support and challenge a CEO, it should be a two-way relationship.

Emma Draper is CEO of Cavendish Cancer Care, a Sheffieldbased charity that provides support to local families affected by cancer. They give those affected and their families the chance to talk in confidence and offer complementary and its treatment. year-round can check grant Sarah Nulty Foundation thesarahnulty powerofmusicfoundation.