The 20% Growth Guarantee: How We Put Our Money Where Our Mouth Is

Why Most Fundraising Consultancies Avoid Guarantees

The fundraising consultancy industry has a dirty secret: most firms charge significant fees regardless of whether their advice actually works. They deliver reports, run workshops, and provide "strategic recommendations" — but when it comes to measurable outcomes, the accountability disappears.

We decided to do things differently.

The GAIGNetwork Growth Guarantee

Through our parent consultancy, Gaign Strategic Fundraising, we offer something that most competitors consider reckless: a guarantee that your charity will achieve at least 20% fundraising growth within 12 months of engagement, or you do not pay.

This is not a marketing claim buried in small print. It is a contractual commitment.

How the Guarantee Works

The Baseline

We establish a clear, agreed baseline of your current fundraising performance using verified financial data from the previous 12 months. This includes all revenue streams: individual giving, corporate partnerships, events, grants, and digital fundraising.

The Target

The 20% growth target is applied to your total fundraising revenue. If your charity currently raises £500,000 annually, the target is £600,000. If you raise £1.2 million, the target is £1.44 million.

The Timeline

You have 12 months from the start of our engagement to hit the target. We work alongside your team throughout this period — this is done-with-you, not done-to-you.

The Accountability

If, at the end of 12 months, your fundraising revenue has not grown by at least 20%, you receive a full refund of our consultancy fees. No questions asked. No caveats. No excuses.

Why We Can Afford to Offer This

The honest answer: because our approach works.

Over 12 years and more than 20 charity engagements, we have developed a methodology that consistently delivers results. The key elements include:

1. The Ethical Fundraising Framework: A structured approach to donor acquisition and retention that prioritises long-term relationships over short-term transactions
2. The Donor Psychology Model: Evidence-based techniques for understanding and responding to donor motivations
3. The Transparent Dashboard: Real-time visibility into fundraising performance, ensuring that problems are identified and addressed before they become crises
4. Peer Learning from GAIGNetwork: Access to the collective wisdom of vetted health charity professionals who share what is actually working

Our track record gives us the confidence to put our fees at risk. In practice, the guarantee is rarely invoked — not because we avoid difficult clients, but because the methodology delivers.

What the Guarantee Does Not Cover

We believe in transparency, so here are the limitations:

• The guarantee requires active participation: If your team does not implement the agreed strategy, the guarantee does not apply. We work with you, not for you.
• External catastrophic events: If a global pandemic or similar force majeure event materially impacts the charity sector, we work with you to adjust targets rather than void the guarantee entirely.
• Charities below £100,000 annual revenue: Very early-stage charities may need foundational work before growth targets are appropriate. We offer alternative engagement models for these organisations.

The Deeper Point

The Growth Guarantee is not just a commercial proposition. It is a statement of values.

We believe that if a consultancy cannot deliver measurable results, it should not charge for its services. The fundraising sector has too many advisors who profit from process rather than outcomes.

By tying our revenue to your results, we ensure that our interests are perfectly aligned with yours. When you grow, we grow. When you succeed, we succeed. There is no scenario in which we benefit from your failure.

That is how professional services should work.

The 20% Growth Guarantee is available through Gaign Strategic Fundraising Ltd., the parent consultancy behind GAIGNetwork. GAIGNetwork members receive priority access and preferential terms.