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Fundraising philosophy

Most of Options for Life's statutory income is for the provision of our care services, but the organisation has always existed to deliver a holistic service and offer opportunities much wider than this. This means that there is an ongoing need for Options for Life to raise additional funds in order to enable the organisation to build up unrestricted resources, to develop new activities, and to continue to offer non-statutory-funded activities, such as holidays for service users. This income is generated via internal activities (e.g. sale of art work), and by applying to external funding sources (e.g. charitable trusts).

As well as raising money for activities, Options for Life often needs to raise funds to purchase equipment which will enhance the quality of services for service users, such as sensory and interactive equipment for people with complex needs.

The need to raise funds presents a challenge for the organisation - how do we raise money but still maintain the organisation's ethos; to enable people with learning disabilities to have a positive role in the community and be seen as citizens with value. Options for Life strives to enable people with learning disabilities to live ‘normal and ordinary' lives. To this end, the following guidelines must be adhered to whenever fundraising activities take place;

 

• We never perpetuate pity for people with learning disabilities when applying for funding
• We never draw attention to Options for Life's participants and their disabilities when applying for funding
• We offer appropriate publicity to funders/charitable trusts when applying for funding. Where a funder requests publicity, the Chief Executive will decide on whether or not to this request is appropriate and proportionate.
• We only apply for funding that gives worth and value to people with learning disabilities
• We only apply for funding from reputable sources, and never apply for funding from persons or organisations who's values and ethos contradict that of Options for Life

 

Responsibilities

Small fundraising/income generation projects are encouraged, and may be undertaken locally by individual services, but larger fundraising applications must be co-ordinated by the Chief Executive and Fundraising and Project Manager, to ensure consistency and quality of all funding applications and to ensure that we approach fundraising strategically and without duplication.