It started on the street - in conversation with Richard Solloway, a true veteran of f2f

I crossed paths with Richard many years ago when he worked for Fruitful Fundraising. Richard is a fundraising leader with nearly 30 years’ experience spanning grassroots face-to-face campaigning through to senior donor strategy.

Richard Solloway is a fundraising leader with nearly 30 years’ experience spanning grassroots face-to-face campaigning through to senior donor strategy. Originally from Scotland, he began his career knocking doors in New York for environmental causes, discovering first-hand the power of personal, one-to-one fundraising. Since then, he has worked across the UK and US with organisations including Tim Lilley Fundraising and now The Salvation Army, where he leads donor services and cultivation across multiple states. Richard brings a rare perspective, combining street-level resilience with strategic leadership and is a passionate advocate for face-to-face fundraising as one of the best training grounds in the sector.

From Glasgow student to knocking doors in New York
Richard arrived in the US with no plan for the summer — and ended up fundraising door-to-door for environmental causes. One unexpected conversation with a chemical company executive showed him the true power of face-to-face: “This actually changes people — not just raises money.”

Why face-to-face builds leaders, not just fundraisers
Richard explains how street and door fundraising teaches resilience, persuasion, and confidence under pressure — skills he now uses at senior leadership level:
“It’s like the special forces of fundraising — drop us anywhere and we’ll make it work.”

From the street to leading donor strategy at The Salvation Army
After decades in F2F (including Tim Lilley and running teams in DC), Richard now oversees donor services and cultivation across three US states — still applying the same structure and techniques he learned knocking doors 30 years ago.