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Fundraising philosophy

Most of Options for Life’s income is by way of direct payments for the provision of our day and support services.  However, the organisation has always aimed to deliver a holistic service, offering opportunities much wider than this. 

This means that there is an on-going need to raise additional funds in order to enable the organisation to build up unrestricted resources to develop new activities, to continue to offer non-statutory-funded activities (such as holidays for service users), and to purchase equipment which will enhance the quality of services (such as sensory and interactive equipment for people with complex needs).

Additional funds are generated by way of a wide range of fundraising activities, including one-off events, internal activities (e.g. sale of art work), and centrally co-ordinated applications for specific funds from external sources (e.g. charitable trusts).

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 live ordinary lives, to have a positive role in the community and be citizens with value.

To ensure that we maintain the organisation’s ethos, the following guidelines are adhered to whenever fundraising activities take place;

• we always emphasise the achievements of people with learning disabilities rather than perpetuating pity when applying for funding
• we always draw attention to service users’ successes in overcoming challenges, rather than to draw attention to their disabilities when applying for funding
• we offer appropriate publicity to funders/charitable trusts when applying for funding; where a funder insists or 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 whose values and ethos contradict that of Options for Life