Jim Grant’s Other Revolution
Whoever was with UNICEF in the 1980s knows that the Jim Grant era was one of revolutionary change and innovation for child survival and development. But how many of us are aware that Jim’s revolutionary fervor also led to dramatic improvements in UNICEF’s outreach to the public at large? These changes may have only recently reached full maturity, but have dramatically affected both UNICEF’s structure and the public’s perception and understanding of our organization.
Turn back the clock to January 1980. Jim Grant spends his first five years turning UNICEF upside down with his Child Survival and Development Revolution. Donor governments are either fascinated or appalled. But UNICEF becomes THE organization that matters in the world of international development.
To his surprise, Jim discovered that UNICEF itself did not raise funds from the private sector. Whatever was raised was done by the National Committees. In his inimitable way, Jim asked “Why not us as well?”. So he summoned Ejgil Christensen, the GCO Director, to his office.
“Ejgil”, Jim asked, “what does GCO do with our National Committees, other than selling Christmas cards?”
“Not much,” came the reply, “but the cards do bring in over $50 million per year! And that’s about the same amount that the NatComs bring in through other forms of fundraising”
“Not bad,” said Jim, “but why can’t we raise more money from individuals and corporations? Do we have to restrict ourselves to selling cards? I’d like to see us raising at least $500 million per year from the private sector! I know you can do it, Ejgil!”
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| Ejgil Christensen |
Well, that started UNICEF’s dramatic entry into Private Sector fundraising. This new activity led to the creation of the Private Sector Division (PSD) in the ’90s and later the Private Fundraising and Partnerships (PFP) Division. Today UNICEF receives over a billion from private sources. Sadly, the sale of Greeting Cards has slowed to a trickle.
In 1985, GCO set up the first in-house fundraising section. The Executive Director of the Swiss National Committee, Eduard Spescha moved to New York as Deputy Director of GCO. Jean Auriel was brought in from the Netherlands Committee and based in GCO Geneva, and I joined Eduard to help develop fundraising within UNICEF.
The first few years weren’t easy for GCO fundraising. National Committees resented having to co-operate with a new unit within “Big Brother” UNICEF. They had always enjoyed a free hand in fundraising, but now they had to be “coordinated” by units based in Geneva and New York.
PFO and Communications were also not very supportive. They feared competition in their outreach to the National Committees. “What good can a section devoted to fundraising in GCO possibly contribute?” they asked.
Three Great Ideas
But then Spescha came up with three great ideas. First, GCO would produce a mini version of the UNICEF Annual Report, for National Committees to distribute to their constituencies with an appeal for funds. We helped the NatComs to print and mail hundreds of thousands of these reports in a dozen languages, and the NatComs could add the income from these mailings to their bottom line. The money came back to UNICEF at the end of the year, and thanks to the generosity of thousands of individual donors, it came back in spades.
The second great idea was the establishment of the Fundraising Development Programme (FDP) administered by GCO. From 1988, the Board set aside $3 million annually, and NatComs were invited to apply for funds to underwrite their favourite fundraising programmes. FDP was like an in-house foundation. It became a big hit, because it allowed NatComs, and later Field Offices, to undertake appeals that generated significant additional income for them and ultimately for UNICEF’s regular resources. (Today, I understand, the FDP distributes more than $25 million to NatComs and Field Offices each year.)
Thirdly, GCO began organizing skill-sharing workshops in professional fundraising. Committees that were more advanced in private fundraising, and specialist consultants, taught less experienced Committees how to conduct direct mail campaigns, telephone appeals, telethons, corporate partnerships and special fundraising events.
After three years, GCO’s fundraising role was finally accepted! Income from the private sector grew exponentially. Jim’s target of $500 million was soon reached, though it probably took a bit longer than he had wished. Sadly, he never lived to see the seeds of his second revolution germinate and blossom!
Income from the private sector, both from individuals and corporations, has since become a major pillar of UNICEF revenues. We take it pretty much for granted. But had Jim Grant not personally encouraged and pushed GCO to take the lead in private fundraising back in 1985, UNICEF private income would certainly not have reached the level it has today.
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