Fundraising Bright Spots

Fundraising can feel safer when we stick to what's tried and tested, but is that quietly holding us back? In this episode, Chris Murphy, Director of Fundraising at Maggie's, shares five principles that have helped him grow results, including being willing to take risks. Chris and Rob discuss ways to make this easier to do, for yourself and others. And Chris gives examples of how this approach make...

Most fundraisers and leaders have experienced it – the feeling sometimes that you’re not quite good enough, or that it’s only a matter of time before someone finds you out. It’s uncomfortable, and it can quietly limit what you do and how boldly you do it. The good news? You’re in very good company. Coach and trainer Lara Roche shares why these feelings are far more widespread than we tend to assum...

If your fire has dimmed a little lately, you're not alone and this episode is for you. Esther Kwaku shares powerful questions to help you get unstuck, reconnect with your why, and bring more joy and purpose back into your fundraising. She also draws on her own story and the fresh perspectives she has gained from working both inside and outside the sector - and offers breathing and grounding practi...

When Future Dharma faced a £90,000 shortfall and possible closure, fundraising and communications director Kusalaraja had to act fast. And yet he found that what made all the difference was resisting the temptation to rush. Pausing to think carefully proved invaluable. In this encouraging conversation, he shares how he planned and executed a successful emergency appeal, raising £74,000 for his sma...

That voice in your head - the one that says we don’t really stand a chance - is understandable but often wrong. And all too easily it creates a self-fulfilling prophecy.    Bright Spot trainer Ben Swart shares what he’s noticed when fundraisers decide to truly commit. With examples, he shows that although committing doesn’t guarantee fundraising success every time, it absolutely increases your cha...

If you've ever wondered whether a Giving Day might work for your organisation — or how to make an existing one even better — this is the episode for you. Mel Bushell is Director of Development at Winchester College and a hugely experienced fundraising leader. She has found Giving Days incredibly effective. This rich and practical conversation explores: the recipe behind what was at the time the mo...

Relatively small shifts in what you say, and how you say it, lead to big differences in your fundraising results. Rob has always been fascinated by these distinctions and how they affect your applications, conversations and pitches for funding. He was very excited to talk to the brilliant Sarah Pryer, who is Director of Fundraising and Marketing at Bristol and Weston Hospitals Charity. Inspired by...

Every fundraiser knows the sting of a donor saying “no.”  An invaluable skill is knowing when to step back and when to learn, adapt and try again. In this encouraging conversation, Sarah Tavener, Head of Global Philanthropy at Mines Advisory Group (MAG), shares the remarkable story of how she secured a multi-million-dollar donation after 19 years of thoughtful persistence with the same funder!  We...

Obviously great fundraising involves building great relationships with your supporters and donors. But how do you do that in practice? One charity that has been making wonderful progress in recent years is Rennie Grove Peace Hospice. For instance, for their recent Big Give campaign they took on their biggest ever target… and they hit it in just over 24 hours.  Laura Elliott, Head of Supporter Fund...

If you'd like to make 2026 your best fundraising year ever, this episode is for you. Fundraising trainers Rob and Ben share four powerful habits that transform your results - without adding more to your to-do list. We explore how to: improve your results by getting laser-focused on what matters most; deepen relationships with your most valuable supporters through one simple shift; gain clarity abo...

If you’d like handy tips and inspiring examples from our fundraising podcast in 2025, or ideas for what to listen to next, we recorded this special show for you.  Fundraising trainers Rob and Ben pick four episodes to inspire you. These ones are a good listen in any season, but they’re even better if you’re listening in December / January.  We pull out highlights including: the pitching strategy t...

In times of rapid change, all charities and social good organisations are having to adapt if we are to survive and continue to make an impact. The Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) has faced plenty of challenges in the last five years, given the turmoil that the hospitality industry has faced since the COVID pandemic. In December 2024, income was so low that the organisations’ very survival...

The biggest source of stress for most fundraisers is usually conflict with other teams in your organisation. What can you do to improve internal relationships and have your fundraising project succeed? In this episode Max Newton (Cerebra) and Lindsay Tilston Jones (Shelter) discuss with Rob Woods an approach that has hugely helped the success of their fundraising. They explain that the most import...

As the funding environment becomes ever more competitive, being ambitious, open to opportunities and willing to adapt is extremely valuable for charities.  Inspire to Ignite is a small, fast-growing not for profit organisation based in Cambridgeshire in the UK. Rob was delighted to talk to the co-founder Sam Squire to understand how they’ve managed to quickly grow to serve so many young people in...

Leading and raising funds for a small charity is demanding enough. The stakes get even higher when you need to raise a lot more money for a capital appeal. The Berin Centre is a small community charity in rural Oxfordshire in the UK. To better serve their community, they decided to build a new cafe. Laura Harte is Director of the charity. In the podcast she shares why this project was so important...

Major Donors can make a huge difference to fundraising income, but fundraising with High Net Worth people can also be really challenging.  Debbie Johnson has been making wonderful progress in her fundraising. In the year she took part in Bright Spot’s Major Gifts Mastery programme, she increased major donor income for her wildlife charity by 200% compared to the previous year... and these wonderfu...

Community fundraising is an invaluable income stream for many charities, both through income raised directly and all the value these relationships add in other fundraising areas. Punyapriya Singh is Senior Head of Supporter Engagement at Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice, and was named Fundraiser of the Year in the CIOF National Fundraising Awards. In this conversation, she explains the approach which...

Fundraising with trusts and foundations has become ever more competitive recently. What can you do to increase your success rate with these funders?  Atul is a curious and shrewd fundraiser who has spent many years exploring how to grow fundraising income in this area. In this conversation Atul and Rob discuss several of his most effective strategies. It includes ways to find more funders who defi...

Most fundraisers know how crucial it is to build genuine relationships with people who care about your cause. But doing it in practice can be far from easy!  Amy Swart is a very experienced relationship fundraiser and is Director of Fundraising and Communications at the suicide-prevention charity James’ Place. Building warm, two-way relationships with supporters, including major donors, trusts and...

There are plenty of really good books specifically about fundraising. We’ve also found it invaluable for fundraisers to read well-written books on related subjects. But which ones are worth your time? If you’re on the lookout for a good read and some different perspectives, we’ve created a Books that Inspire Fundraisers – The Super Six, which you can access with this link . And in this episode Bri...

How to change what’s not working. Sometimes in fundraising, things aren’t working, you feel overwhelmed, and you don’t know where to start.  The excellent book Reset by Dan Heath is all about how to turn things around when you feel stuck. In this podcast Rob talks to Craig about ways you can apply the Reset techniques to solve difficult fundraising problems.  Heath suggests that in most difficult...

Growing your confidence to talk to supporters makes a big difference. What’s the key to increasing High Value Fundraising Income for your charity? Build stronger relationships with people who care about your cause.  There are many ways to do this, but even in this tech-savvy era, the most effective thing is to have actual conversations with those people! And a greatly under-used way to do that, is...

How do you beat tough odds in fundraising? For many fundraisers, the odds are now tougher than ever. Whether it's because your cause is less popular, or your charity is small or less well-known… There are many reasons you may feel like an underdog. Interestingly, some charities do secure valuable gifts, partnerships and grants, in spite of big disadvantages. Clearly this fact does not make life fa...

The power of your reason why can be immense. Charities often focus too much attention on how they help. They act and speak as though what they do is the most important and interesting thing.  When you clarify and reconnect to the reason why your charity exists, it can be a fabulous catalyst for growth. You get new creativity and energy. When the South African non-profit Feenix did this in 2017, it...

How to attract younger donors is a valuable issue for a charity to solve.  Younger supporters tend to see the world differently to older generations – as charities, how can we respond? For answers and encouragement Rob talks to philanthropist and best-selling author Lisa Greer. As a so-called ‘major donor’ Lisa has a valuable perspective on charity relationships with High Net Worth individuals. An...