With 20 years of experience in the non-profit sector, working locally and internationally, Sarah Scarth is an experienced fundraising and communications practitioner, who is passionate about helping non-profit organisations create diversified and integrated fundraising and communications programmes which ultimately build sustainable organisations.
1. Can you start by telling us a bit about yourself and how you came to be a part of The Resource Alliance?
It all started in 2011 when I was head of Resource Development for the Cape of Good Hope SPCA here in Cape Town and was selected to attend IFC Holland as a bursary delegate – a dream come true. My first IFC was a life-changing experience. Being among so many other fundraisers from across the world was amazing, but to be interacting and chatting during and after sessions with fundraising experts who I’d admire and looked up to for years, was incredible. I met so many wonderful people and couldn’t get over how willing people were to share so generously to help me be successful. The learnings I gained not only helped me grow as a fundraising leader but the SPCA enjoyed the benefits almost immediately and the changes made then and the new programmes introduced are still reaping benefits for them today.
Post IFC the CEO of the RA reached out to me and invited me to join the Advisory Panel tasked with putting together IFC 2012. It was a huge honour to work alongside other fundraisers from around the world to craft a rich and diverse programme, which would be valuable to anyone attending – regardless of whether they were from a small organisation in a developing market or an iNGO operating in multiple markets around the world.
After serving a three year term on the panel the RA invited me to continue working with the organisation to help them grow their programme work in Africa. As I had just stepped down from my position at the SPCA it was a well-timed offer and I jumped at the opportunity to help strengthen more social impact organisations in the region.