Ann Bown has been an Associate of Brakeley Limited since 2001 and has been the CEO of Charisma Communications since 1991.  She has extensive experience in public relations and fundraising.  Ann holds the UNISA certificate in Fundraising Management, Small Business Management from the University of the Witwatersrand Business School, a Diploma in Public Relations and is an accredited Assessor for the Further Education and Training Certificate in Fundraising.

Ann evolved through public relations into the world of fundraising some 20 years ago and has been a fulltime consultant for the past 18 years. As an Associate of  Brakeley Limited, an international management and fundraising firm, she has gained experience in global best practice.

She personally manages all projects; campaigns or feasibility studies and training courses herself and believes in becoming a part of the client organisation and working cohesively with the board, management and staff. She trains around 500 people annually and often mentors and coaches other fundraisers.

She is a Fellow and past President of the Southern Africa Institute of Fundraising

In 2001 she became the Founding Chairperson of SAIF Education and Training (now Centre for Resource and Fundraising Training (CRAFT) and also the Founder and driving force behind the Giving & Sharing Foundation, a national awareness project to highlight and honour volunteerism and philanthropy.

Consulting and management work includes;

·         Strategic planning assignments for non-profit organisations

·         Feasibility studies or surveys for universities and international or locally based NPO’s

·        Endowment Fund and Capital Campaign achievability studies

·         Co-ordination and public relations for campaigns such as the launch of a new e-collaborative hub in Africa

Amongst regular client work Ann is currently steering the development of a capital campaign for a permanent camp site that will offer a unique experience for children with life-threatening illnesses and other health challenges, a model based on the late Paul Newman’s programme for Hole In the Wall Camps.  This will be the first of its kind in South Africa.

Some of her past work included overall management of the South African Red Cross Tsunami campaign – raising over R30 million for victims of the tragedy in Asia as well as Somalia. Also the co-ordination of the southern Africa regional orphan and children made vulnerable advocacy (OVC) campaign for the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, fundraising feasibility studies for UNIFEM West Africa, SOS Children’s Villages and Project Literacy.

Public training courses and workshops are offered on all subjects  to the non-profit sector and tailored courses presented on behalf of institutions such as The GIBS Colloquium for Social Entrepreneurs, Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) on Procurement Grantseeking for groups of research trainees and researchers and Political Fundraising for members of SADC region political parties on behalf of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

Ann has made presentations at numerous international and local conferences; International Fundraising Congress in Holland and International Resource Mobilisation Workshops in Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.  She has also chaired and been the key note speaker at Corporate Social Investment and Responsibility symposium as well as national NGO conferences.