Values & Philosophies
We follow The 10 Principles of Community-Centric Fundraising
At Stickney Murphy Consulting, LLC (SMC) we follow The 10 Principles of Community-Centric Fundraising as set forth by CCF in Seattle, WA. I invite you to visit CCF’s website and learn more about Community Centric Fundraising and how they are transforming fundraising and philanthropy, so that they are co-grounded in racial and economic justice.
Community-Centric Fundraising is a movement to evolve how fundraising is done in the social impact sector. Its goal is to support fundraisers and other nonprofit professionals to re-examine every fundraising philosophy and practice they have been taught, engage in vigorous ongoing conversations, and explore doing fundraising in ways that reduce harm and further social justice.
SMC’s Values
SMC agrees to adhere to the following values which have been adapted from the values of CCF in Seattle, WA:
Equity.
The majority of nonprofits serve minority communities that are not reflected in institutional leadership. In an effort to increase access to funding for organizations that prioritize the voices of people of color, especially women, LGTBQIA+ folks, and people with disabilities, SMC offers our services on a sliding scale for organizations with budgets under $1M that are BIPOC-led.
Courage.
At SMC we believe in challenging the ways things have been done. We speak and act boldly, even if it causes discomfort and disagreement. We are not afraid to tackle difficult topics, including race, slavery, reparations, colonization, anti-Blackness, and white supremacy.
Community.
We believe our work can be done most effectively when we build community: We make time to get to know one another: we care about and support one another inside and outside of this work; we welcome children and other family members when we can; we are thoughtful and inclusive of one another’s cultural traditions, including making sure gatherings do not conflict with important cultural holidays; we strive to ensure our meetings, events, and communications are accessible to people with disabilities; we will be thoughtful about gender identities and respect people’s pronouns; we are present with one another in meetings and gatherings, such as avoiding checking phones when possible; and we find joy and humor while doing this work, but not at the expense of other people.
Integrity.
We strive to do the right thing consistently, including: following through, not participating in exploitative fundraising practices and instead focusing on empowerment; and we are thoughtful of our potential conflicts of interest and will put the well-being of the client and the community above our personal interests.
The 10 Principles
Fundraising must be grounded in race, equity, and social justice.
Individual organizational missions are not as important as the collective community.
Nonprofits are generous with and mutually supportive of one another.
All who engage in strengthening the community are equally valued, whether volunteer, staff, donor, or board member.
Time is valued equally as money.
We recognize that healing and liberation requires a commitment to economic justice.
We foster a sense of belonging, not othering.
We treat donors as partners, and this means that we are transparent, assume the best intentions, and occasionally have difficult conversations.
We promote the understanding that everyone (donors, staff, funders, board members, volunteers) personally benefits from engaging in the work of social justice – it’s not just charity and compassion.
We see the work of social justice as holistic and transformative, not transactional.
Testimonials
Sarah Murphy is the person you want on your team! During the pandemic WRBH lost its Development Director and I was at a loss as to how to fill the gap. Sarah stepped in and has more than exceeded my expectations. GiveNOLA Day 2021 was by far the best one WRBH has ever participated in and that is all due to the efforts of Sarah. She is dedicated and efficient and I never have to worry about tasks being done on time and being done well. I am so grateful she is part of the WRBH team!
— Natalia Gonzalez, Executive Director, WRBH Radio for the Blind
I worked with Sarah Stickney Murphy for 3 years. She knows what tools work well to produce both qualitative and quantifiable results. She is an effective fundraiser who is clear and concise when communicating her needs, wants, and expectations for projects and tasks. Most importantly when she sees a problem that needs fixing, she fixes it. She is an outstanding, knowledgeable, and effective nonprofit professional.
— Sharyn Booker, Director of Development, New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute (NOCHI)