The DM Foundation, the charity set up with start-up funds from the DMA, has named the first four beneficiaries of its charitable fund, although will no doubt raise a few eyebrows by including the trade body as one of them.
The independent charity fund is designed to develop the DM industry through supporting education, research and skills development projects – awarded the grants after considering applications from a number of industry institutes and organisations.
The recipients of the bursaries are: The Institute of Fundraising to establish a new DM qualification; New Technology Institute Birmingham to fund a new post-graduate qualification; The Institute of Direct & Digital Marketing to set a Data Students Workshop for maths undergraduates; and finally the DMA for its studies into consumer attitudes to data privacy and the economic value of the UK DM industry
Applications for grants and bursaries were assessed by the DM Foundation’s board of trustees, which is headed by Rosemary Smith, director of Opt-4 and a former chair of the board of the DMA.
Particular attention was paid to applications to fund research that provides wide-reaching insight into direct marketing trends and issues, and to support training and education courses or work placements that advance the skills of individuals working in the industry.
Smith said: “We have tough selection criteria that ensure we allocate funds only to those projects that will benefit the direct marketing industry as a whole, rather than just one company or organisation.
“The projects we selected will have a great impact on encouraging the next generation of talent to get a career foothold in the industry, as well as research that will shed light on important issues that affect us all.
“We’re pleased that we’re able to provide substantial funding to great projects that would not have otherwise been able to get off the ground.”
The DM Foundation is now calling for applications for the next round of grants. The DM Foundation is currently calling for nominations for a new trustee to join its board to represent youth and new entrants to the DM industry.
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