- Takes over from the current chair, Heather Hill, who has been in the role since 2019
- Vision to “reshape fundraising to make it more inclusive, ethical and impactful”
Damian Chapman – the director of fundraising and communications at the Charity for Civil Servants, in the UK – has become the new chair of Rogare – The Fundraising Think Tank. He succeeds Heather Hill, who has performed the role since April 2019, when Rogare became a standalone body, having been established at Plymouth University in 2014.
Damian has been a member of Rogare’s Critical Fundraising Network since 2019, but had close ties with us well before that. He will take up the role for an initial three year period. Damian says:
“I’ve been in and around Rogare for many years and what I like about it is that encourages everyone – me included – to continually evaluate not just the way we do fundraising but what, and how, we think about it.
“Being a professional fundraiser is incredibly rewarding. It is at its most rewarding when we feel confident in our practice, and at Rogare we have done reams of great work in encouraging fundraisers to better understand and use both the evidence and theory that underpins professional practice.
“But to get the most out of being a fundraiser we also have to feel safe in our jobs. During my tenure as chair, I want to ensure we focus on this collective endeavour to reshape the future of fundraising, ensuring it is inclusive, ethical, and impactful. In support of this objective, we’ll shortly embark on a collaboration to protect fundraisers’ psychological well-being.”
Damian also pays tribute to outgoing chair Heather’s Hill’s “big shoes”.
Heather – who had also been a member of Rogare’s old International Advisory Panel since 2015 – says:
“It is incredible to see how much Rogare has done during my five years at the helm of Rogare, from fundraising history to postmodernism and fundraising; from standing up for fundraising during the Covid 19 pandemic and other emergencies to the ethical implications of using AI in fundraising.
“I’ve been involved in many Rogare projects but perhaps the thing I am most proud to have contributed to is our work to develop a blueprint to dismantle patriarchal structures in the fundraising profession. To me, that feels like real, concrete steps in making fundraising a better and safer place.
“It’s been a full and fulfilling five years as chair and I am honoured to have helped to lead in that time. To say I am grateful to have been chair of Rogare would be an understatement. Ever since that fateful conference session in 2015 when I first encountered Rogare, it has been a source of inspiration and motivation for me, even at times a source of inquisition as the work served to further enhance my critical thinking and ask question upon question about our profession and practice.”
Rogare director Ian MacQuillin comments:
“Heather and Damian have two of the most enquiring and critical minds in fundraising, so they are both perfect choices for the role of Rogare chair.
“I’d like to thank Heather for her sterling five years of support and encouragement. It was daunting enough setting up Rogare as an independent organisation when we had to leave Plymouth University in 2019. Then the Covid Pandemic struck less than a year later. That Rogare got over both those hurdles is due in large part to Heather standing behind me and pushing me forward all the way.
“I am genuinely delighted that Damian will be Rogare’s second chair. I know how committed he is to our mission and vision to rethink fundraising and I am excited to work with him to unfurl his many ideas about how we can make this a reality.
“I am also very lucky to count both Heather and Damian as very good friends.”
Rogare is supported in our work by a number of Associate Members – partners to the fundraising sector that share our critical fundraising ethos. Our Associate Members are:
