Fundraising Bright Spots

One of the best ways to grow fundraising income is to find ways to add value to relationships with supporters and partners. This makes sense in theory, but how do you do it in practice, and with consistency, especially if your resources are limited? Events can be very effective! Though many charities use them to raise funds directly, it is less common to regularly use events for stewardship and to inspire subsequent support or partnerships. In this episode Chris Salt describes the event strategy that his relatively small charity uses to inspire existing and potential corporate partners. The approach has helped fuel his charity's best ever year of corporate fundraising results. To help you weigh up whether something similar could help your own fundraising, Chris shares how they do it and what they've learned. We'd love to know what you think! And thank you for supporting our show, for example, by sharing it with colleagues or on social media. We are both on LinkedIn and on X / twitter Rob is @woods_rob.

There are many ways to deepen relationships with people who care about your good cause. At Bright Spot, one of our favourites is to create Wow Moments - something that makes them feel great or helps them connect with your charity at a deeper level compared to what most would expect. Sometimes this involves a creative, ambitious approach that other charities wouldn't even think of. But just as often, the ‘wow' is experienced by your supporter because you do something thoughtful and bespoke, rather than something especially surprising. What's great about this is that these ideas are very do-able! And what's difficult about it is that they are also easy to not do, (or manage to do regularly). They often take a little extra effort. To give you new ideas, and maybe a nudge of inspiration to make time for your existing good idea, Ben and Rob share various Wow Moments that have inspired them recently. They share examples of smart fundraisers taking part in Bright Spot's recent Corporate Mastery and Major Gifts Mastery Programmes. We'd love to know what you think! And thank you for supporting our show, for example, by sharing it with colleagues or on social media. We are both on LinkedIn and on X / twitter Ben is @benswart and Rob is @woods_rob.

When you concentrate more effort developing relationships with a relatively small number of supporters or corporate partners with high potential, it becomes much easier to grow high value income. We've also found that although this idea makes sense to many people in theory, it can be hard to apply in practice. So what can you do to overcome the various barriers to more focused and effective relationship-building with partners / supporters / funders? Using examples of successful partnerships and major gift fundraising growth from people on Bright Spot's recent mastery programmes, in this episode Rob and Ben share techniques to help you harness the power of highly focused effort. We'd love to know what you think! And thank you for supporting our show, e.g. by sharing it with colleagues or on social media. We are both on LinkedIn and on X / twitter Ben is @benswart and Rob is @woods_rob.

An effective way to grow fundraising income is to add value to relationships with high value supporters. But how do find ways to do it? One approach is to start looking at your existing resources differently. When you ask yourself what potential assets you could make use of, rather than what is difficult for your charity; and what you can give (to relationships with supporters) rather than what you can get from them… amazing things become possible. To help you look again at opportunities (that might be under your nose), Rob and Ben share stories of creative, determined fundraisers doing things a bit differently and creating WOW moments for their donors / supporters. We'd love to know what you think! And thank you for supporting our show, e.g. by sharing it with colleagues or on social media. We are both on LinkedIn and on X / twitter Ben is @benswart and Rob is @woods_rob.

What can fundraisers do to increase our chances of securing large, multi-year donations from trusts and charitable foundations? Rob was delighted to talk to Caroline Danks, a wise fundraiser with 20 years' experience of working with Trusts and Foundations. In the last two years, three different charities she's worked with have received six-figure, multi-year grants. Caroline noticed a clear pattern across all three examples. Caroline and Rob discuss the four factors common to all three successes and explore ideas and tips to help you make use of them in your own fundraising with trusts and foundations. We'd love to know what you think! And thank you for supporting our show, for instance by sharing it with colleagues or on social media. We are both on LinkedIn and on X / twitter Caroline is @LarkOwlUK and Rob is @woods_rob.

One greatly under-estimated tool for building relationships with potential funders, corporate partners and major donors, is LinkedIn. But what's the most effective approach? Rob was delighted to talk to fundraising and LinkedIn expert Michelle Benson. After many years as a fundraiser and grant giver, Michelle has found that most fundraisers are failing to make the most of this potent tool for success in major donor / trusts / corporate partnerships fundraising. Michelle and Rob discuss an approach which is different to what most people usually do. Rather than you chase them, a better way is to attract your ideal funders and partners to seek you out and want to develop relationships with you! She explains exactly why it's so effective to do things differently, as well as a few simple habits that will help you get conversations with the right partners and funders for your charity. We'd love to know what you think! And thank you for supporting our show, for instance by sharing it with colleagues or on social media. We are both on LinkedIn (!) and on X / twitter Rob is @woods_rob.

There are plenty of factors that make fundraising difficult at the moment. Whether it's the cost of living crisis, the pace of change, the sense of political chaos, shorter attention spans etc…it's true that connecting with people who care about your cause can feel harder than ever. So what can we do to defy the odds and achieve great fundraising results, in spite of the challenges? For clear answers and encouragement, Rob was delighted to talk to best-selling author and marketing expert, Grant Leboff. He explains why taking steps to increase genuine human connection is so powerful and offers a range of things you can do to achieve this in practice. If you want to share this episode because you think it will help other charities – THANK YOU! - we are both on Linked In and on X / twitter Grant is @grantleboff and I am @woods_rob.

Is silo working inevitable in charities? Or is it possible to create a culture where it's the norm for the different teams to proactively help each other, so that efforts combine to make a bigger difference? This is the second part of Rob's interview about integrated working with the brilliant Joe Jenkins. They build on the Team of Teams concept from Part 1, and the amazing difference it makes to both results and trust between teams. Joe shares how one charity applied these ideas in three important projects, improving results and working relationships with each iteration. Finally he shares practical tips to help anyone ‘be the change they want to see' in their day to day work, whether or not they currently hold a formal leadership position. Let us know what you think! And thank you for supporting our show, for instance by sharing it! We are both on Linked In, and on X / twitter we are @MrJoeJenkins and @woods_rob.

One of the biggest sources of stress for people working in charities is conflict between teams. Many find that however committed they are, and however hard they work, the default structure and culture often hamper genuine cooperation and progress toward a common goal. Given how difficult this problem can be, Rob was thrilled to talk to Joe Jenkins, who has given more thought and energy to solving it than anyone he has interviewed. Joe shares what happened when he worked for Friends of the Earth over a decade ago, when the leadership team did certain things to reduce silo-thinking and nurture conditions for success. Joe explains it was this effort, especially in terms of structure, culture and a shared vision, that enabled the charity to later create the hugely successful and award-winning Bee Campaign. If you'd like ideas and encouragement for how to build a co-operative, empowered and effective culture, we hope this episode will help. Let us know what you think! And thank you for supporting our show, for instance by sharing it! We are both on Linked In, and on X / twitter we are @MrJoeJenkins and @woods_rob.

Rob is again joined by Bright Spot colleague and fellow fundraising trainer Ben Swart to talk about some of the episodes that most inspired us in 2023. Our discussion of fundraising ideas and examples includes: how to ace your event or media appeal (ie what content makes all the difference to results); ways to beat the Curse of Knowledge – and how one charity did this to raise five times more than the average through their appeal; ideas to help you succeed in spite of very competitive trust application processes; and how to create a culture where people genuinely value failure / learning as a way to grow fundraising results. If you'd like to get in touch or share this episode with other charities, THANK YOU! You can find us both on Linked In and on X / twitter Ben is @benswart and Rob is @woods_rob.

If you'd like practical lessons and a bunch of encouraging stories from our fundraising podcast in 2023, or you'd like tips on what to listen to next, we recorded this special episode for you! Rob is joined by Bright Spot colleague and fellow fundraising trainer Ben Swart for this round up of our podcasting year. They pull out key insights from some episodes they've found most inspiring to listen to, including: tactics for corporate fundraisers to win multiple partnerships; ideas to further your mission through partnerships; how to use the Top 20 Rule to grow income with any group of supporters or donors; how to be more bold and innovative in your fundraising… and lots more. If you'd like to get in touch or share this episode with other charities, THANK YOU! You can find us both on Linked In and on X / twitter Ben is @benswart and Rob is @woods_rob.

This time we're looking at capital campaigns and appeals, and in particular how to make them work if the charity you work for is relatively small. Successful appeals are not an easy undertaking for any charity, but there are at least examples of various famous appeals by well-known charities in books about fundraising. Given how many smaller charities need to raise an extra injection of funding for an important new project, I wanted to share a story from a fundraiser who has managed a successful capital campaign in an organisation with fewer resources. I was delighted talk to Steph Pisharody, an experienced fundraiser who worked for many years as Head of Development at St Albans Cathedral. She was there throughout their campaign to raise a seven figure sum for a new heritage and community project. I loved hearing Steph's reflections on how they did it! Whether or not you're embarking on your own campaign, I hope you find her insights and examples as helpful as I did. If you want to share this episode because you think it will help other charities – THANK YOU! - we are both on Linked In and on X / twitter I am @woods_rob.

Just occasionally we (hopefully) have a bigger opportunity to reach more people and raise money. Whether it's being chosen for a media appeal that reaches thousands or millions; or the chance to tell your charity story at an event in front of hundreds of people…there are a few moments when the fundraising rewards can be HUGE…if we get it right. So what can you do to maximise the potential of these valuable opportunities? For shrewd insights and examples, Rob was thrilled to interview Sally Flatman. In her many years as producer of BBC Radio 4 appeal, Sally worked with hundreds of charities on their appeals. Their results varied widely! In fact, a few of them raised more than five times the average! What did the ones that truly smashed it, do differently or better? Whether you plan to do your own media appeal one day, or simply want some examples to apply to your upcoming event / pitch / proposal / Christmas appeal, Sally's examples can help. If you want to share this episode because you think it will help other charities – THANK YOU! - we are both on Linked In and on X / twitter Sally is @flatmansally and I am @woods_rob.

Changes in technology over the last three decades mean our supporters' now have less time, and more demands on their attention, than at any point in history. This makes it tougher than ever to deepen relationships with people who care about our cause. In this environment, what can we do to create effective marketing and communications? To better understand the issues, Rob was delighted to talk to best-selling author and marketing expert, Grant Leboff. Grant routinely advises both companies and charities on effective marketing and communications strategies in the fast-changing world we live in. In the interview, he explains why your supporter's attention is more precious than ever, and what your charity can do to get and keep it. If you want to share this episode because you think it will help other charities – THANK YOU! - we are both on Linked In and on X / twitter Grant is @grantleboff and I am @woods_rob.

Many charities see the advantages of creating strategic, long-term partnerships with companies, rather than applying for those intensely competitive Charity of the Year partnerships. But how do you initially approach companies where there is a good fit? Even after you get that first meeting, how do you inspire them to want to partner? And how do you solve the challenges in bringing your two organisations together to achieve something that works really well for both parties? It's not easy, but its less daunting if you can hear insights from someone who has already done these things. So I was delighted to be able to talk to Pippa Hind-Walsh, a smart fundraiser in a fairly small charity called Family Fund. She talks us through the process of approaching and building a fabulous, strategic partnership with McCain Foods, which has been worth well over £1m to the charity. If you want to share this episode because you think it will help other charities – THANK YOU! - we are both on Linked In and on twitter I am @woods_rob.

Some types of cause are less popular than others. If your charity is relatively less attractive to many people, what can you do to raise funds successfully? Rob talks to the experienced major gift fundraiser, Sarah Jane O'Neill, about things you can do to raise funds in spite of the challenges, whatever cause you serve. They share tips, practical tactics and examples of how fundraisers have overcome the difficulties of being less popular. And Sarah Jane shares top line findings from her new thesis exploring factors that can make it harder to secure high value donations for female domestic abuse charities. If you want to share this episode because you think it will help other charities – THANK YOU! - we are both on Linked In and on X / twitter, where Sarah Jane is @s_joneill and I am @woods_rob.

What can you do to build warm, generous relationships with High Net Worth individuals who care about your cause? Rob talks to Paul Davies, who at the time worked for an orchestra and charity named Manchester Camerata. Paul explains a range of ideas from the Major Gifts Mastery Programme that he used to transform his results, including: what he focuses on to feel so confident when meeting supporters; how he quadrupled the number of supporters he speaks to each month, to 20 per month; and the amazing results this created for his charities' appeal. If you want to share this episode because you think it will help colleagues or other good causes – THANK YOU! - we are both on Linked In and on Twitter / X we are @paulj_davies and @woods_rob.

In just four years, the small UK charity Talk Club has grown rapidly, making an ever bigger difference to the community it serves. There are now 78 talk clubs where men can talk, listen and improve their mental fitness. In this episode Ben Akers (Joint CEO) and Rob Woods discuss the innovative approach that has helped achieve this growth. An important theme is the power of being crystal clear of your outcome and working back from there to decide your tactics. They explore how this increases your confidence to do things differently and resist more orthodox strategies. They also talk about knowing your reason why; keeping things simple; understanding your target audience and speaking their language; and strategic partnerships that intrinsically help achieve your mission, ie as well as generating income. If you want to share this episode because you think it will help other charities – THANK YOU! - we are both on Linked In and on X / twitter, where Ben is @BenAkers and I am @woods_rob.

One of the most difficult challenges for many fundraisers is encouraging colleagues see things from the supporter or partners' point of view, and to want to do things that would deepen relationships with those supporters and help grow income. And in corporate partnerships fundraising, excellent partnerships are never possible if they're solely driven by the fundraisers' hard work. They can only happen if they are genuinely a partnership between two organisations. But with many competing priorities in a charity, its not always easy to get colleagues to understand / want to do things that would serve the partnership or fundraising project. They're very busy handling other issues. In this episode, Rob Woods talks to corporate partnerships expert and Bright Spot trainer, Ben Swart. They talk about practical things you can do to find common ground and positive outcomes with other teams in your charity. If you want to share this episode because you think it will help other charities – THANK YOU! - we are both on Linked In and on twitter, where Ben is @benswart and I am @woods_rob.

Artificial intelligence / AI is here to stay and it's transforming the way many sectors do business. In this episode we explore what difference AI is already making to fundraising, and what do we need to be aware of? The very experienced digital fundraiser, Emily Casson gave a fascinating talk at Bright Spot's summer Breakfast Club for Fundraising Leaders event, and we're pleased to share her talk here. She spoke about why charities cannot afford to ignore AI. She demonstrated how it can help fundraisers be more effective, including in terms of saving time, generating ideas and improving analysis. For example, Emily and her colleagues have already used it to make big improvements in how they tailor individual supporter journeys, so that supporters are asked to give amounts appropriate to them. Emily also talked about several important ethical issues charities need to consider with this rapidly changing technology. If you want to get in touch, Emily and I would love to hear from you – we're both on Linked In, and on X / twitter Emily is @EmilyCasson and I'm @woods_rob.

In this episode we look at failure, and why embracing it has a powerful effect on your results. To understand this in the context of fundraising and a charity's effectiveness, I was delighted to talk to Richard Turner, Director of Fundraising at the international development charity, Solar Aid. For many years Richard and his colleagues have been deliberate about the importance of searching for and using the insights that come when things don't go according to plan. He shares examples of how the approach has helped the charity ongoingly adapt, improve and make a bigger difference. We explore why the approach is so important; tips for applying it to fundraising; and ideas for creating a culture that's open to and likely to learn from failure.

If your charity aims to win and grow corporate partnerships, then one important asset is a proposition or first step that's both easy to understand and genuinely enticing to companies. This isn't easy, so I was really interested to hear how Laura Webb approached it for Leeds Hospitals Charity. In mid-September 2020, she got inspired by the brilliant Snowflake Appeal at Sheffield Children's Hospital charity, and with an incredibly short time, she and her colleagues created their own campaign, inviting businesses to Sponsor the Sparkle in December 2020. In just four weeks, the campaign attracted 20 companies to donate, generating over £35,000. One important part of the story is that more than half of these companies started supporting the charity for the first time. In this episode, Laura explains how they did it, practical tips and various lessons learned. If you want to share this episode with colleagues or on social media because you think it will help other charities – THANK YOU VERY MUCH! - we are both on Linked In and on twitter, I am @woods_rob.

The 80/20 Principle states that results will never be evenly distributed. A minority of your donors have the potential to give much more than the majority. Of course, many charities treat major donors differently, but we've found that within a file of individual donors giving at lower levels (or event participants), The 80/20 Principle still holds true. If we look for it, this is a wonderful opportunity to better serve your most valuable supporter relationships and grow income. Craig Linton is an author, trainer and individual giving specialist with 20 years' fundraising experience. In this episode, Craig and Rob explore ways to escape the common pitfall of ‘one size fits all' stewardship and share ideas to help you grow income by finding and serving the top 20% with the highest potential.

Corporate partnerships can make a huge impact on not only your fundraising, but also your mission directly. One of the valuable things they often bring is far greater reach to key audiences than a charity would achieve on its own. Clearly this effect is multiplied if you build not one, but many partnerships, and especially if they are all in a category that is relevant to your cause. In this episode Cara Hoofe and Sabrina Nixon talk about Bowel Cancer UK's #GetOnARoll Campaign, in which most of the leading companies that sell toilet roll in the UK joined the campaign to raise awareness of the symptoms of bowel cancer, though their packaging. The campaign let people know what symptoms to look for and helped increase awareness of bowel cancer as an issue to an all-time high of 73%. They share why they took this approach, how they did it, and tips for other charities who want to emulate this strategy for winning multiple partners.

We spend so much of our life at work, it clearly makes sense that we should aim to make this time rewarding and enjoyable. But how do you deliberately build a happy, successful career? In this episode Rob Woods talks to Liz Tait, Director of Fundraising at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital Charity. Liz explains some of the ideas and activities she's used in developing her career over the last two decades, and which she has found are helpful to share with colleagues. They discuss practical tactics to help you work out your next steps, even if you feel stuck; ways you can increase your motivation to take action; and advice to help you go after your dream job.

This episode with Dr Claire Routley, an expert in expert legacy fundraising, was recorded in early March 2020, when the world felt very different. Nevertheless, in a time of increased home-working, our subjects of culture change and breaking down inter-team barriers now feel more relevant than ever. So I'm really pleased to share the episode again. We talk about a piece of research Claire carried out on behalf of the National Trust, all about how to increase interest in promoting legacies across the various teams within a charity. Though we talk largely about the cross promotion of legacy giving, in truth these ideas can be applied to any concept that should be understood by various teams, rather than just the so-called specialists. Claire explains the three key themes she discovered and brings these to life with examples of specific tactics that various charities have used in their change management programmes. If you want to hear my first interview with Claire, which is all about ways to make it easier to have conversations about legacies with your supporters, do check out Episode 28 of this podcast. If you want to share this episode – thank you!! – or get in touch, Claire and I would love to hear from you – we're both on Linked In, and on twitter Claire is @claireyJaneR and I'm @woods_rob.

What can charities do to better attract younger philanthropists to their cause? Many believe this is now an especially important challenge and opportunity. They cite research suggesting that in the next ten years, millennials and generations X and Z are likely to be in a position to make an especially valuable contribution to causes they care about. In Part 2 of Rob's recent interview with Victoria Roe, she shares more lessons she's learned in managing UNICEF UK's approach. The ‘Next Gen' concept they use is a more proactive approach to the needs and interests of younger supporters than many charities currently take. In the interview they explore a range of insights, including the value of the creating an identity or ‘home' for younger supporters; effective stewardship and involvement; and ideas for balancing short-term pressures with the value of these relationships in the medium and long-term. If you want to share this episode with others you think it would help, THANK YOU SO MUCH! We'd love to hear what you think. Victoria and Rob are both on Linked In and on twitter Rob is @woods_rob, or you can follow Bright Spot on Instagram at @brightspotfundraising.

This time we're exploring how charities can better develop relationships with supporters in their teens, twenties and early thirties. Younger supporters tend to see the world differently to older generations – as charities, how can we respond? Rob speaks to Victoria Roe, a Senior Philanthropy Manager at UNICEF UK about her charities' ‘Next Gen' approach. She shares the rationale for why this is an especially valuable opportunity for charities to look at now; examples of success so far; and various insights to help other fundraisers who want to develop good relationships with younger philanthropists. If you want to share this episode with others you think it would help, THANK YOU VERY MUCH! We'd love to hear what you think. Victoria and Rob are both on Linked In and on twitter Rob is @woods_rob, or you can follow Bright Spot on Instagram at @brightspotfundraising.

This time we are again exploring ways to thrive and make a difference when you're in a new fundraising leadership role. Rob talks to Tess Nixon Spiller, who is very experienced at taking on interim leadership roles, and as such has become adept at spotting the opportunities and pre-empting many of the pitfalls when you're new. In particular we explore ways you can create a culture of self-sufficiency in your team, so that everyone grows more confident in solving problems, and without necessarily needing to involve you. We also look at ways to deliberately focus your energy on the parts of your job that are the most strategically important. If you want to share this episode with others you think it would help, THANK YOU VERY MUCH! We would love to hear what you think. Tess and Rob are both on Linked In and on twitter Rob is @woods_rob, or you can follow Bright Spot on Instagram at @brightspotfundraising.

To help us survive, the human brain evolved to be very sensitive to threats in the environment. But if we're not careful, this negativity bias also causes us to focus too much attention on our weaknesses, and at the expense of our strengths. This tendency to can reduce our energy levels and resourcefulness. Rob's guest for this episode is an expert in helping fundraisers to identify and take advantage of their strengths. Having worked with dozens of fundraising teams, she has found this approach helps you be more effective and happier in your work. In the interview Jo shares a tool to help you identify your strengths, as well as lots of practical tips to help you make use of them in your work. If you want to share this episode with others you think it would help, THANK YOU VERY MUCH! We would love to hear what you think. Jo and Rob are both on Linked In and on twitter Rob is @woods_rob, or you can follow Bright Spot on Instagram at @brightspotfundraising.

How can you increase high value income for your charity? In this episode, Rob Woods talks to Tony Gaston about the strategies he feels contributed to the way EMMS International transformed its high value results so dramatically in five years. He talks about how he manages to pause and see the bigger picture and how this habit has helped him focus on solving the most valuable challenges; what he believes is the most important thing to get right when you meet supporters; and plenty more tips. If you want to share this episode with others you think it would help, THANK YOU! We would love to hear what you think. Tony and Rob are both on Linked In and on twitter Rob is @woods_rob.

This time we're looking at how to thrive in the first few weeks and months of a new fundraising leadership role. Rob was thrilled to talk to a wise leader named Tess Nixon Spiller, who loves taking on interim leadership roles. In fact, she has done this repeatedly for a range of charities, across various sectors in recent years. By specialising in this way, where she is almost perpetually new, Tess has gained valuable insights about how to be at your best and make a difference when you're new. Tess and Rob discuss a range of tactics and beliefs that she has found helpful. If you want to share this episode with others you think it would help, THANK YOU SO MUCH! We would love to hear what you think. Tess and Rob are both on Linked In and on twitter Rob is @woods_rob, or you can follow Bright Spot on Instagram at @brightspotfundraising.

Obviously well-known people who share the values of your charity have the potential to make a big difference to your fundraising and mission. But how do you find the influencers who care, and how do you manage these relationships effectively? And how do you maximise the impact? Paul Katz is an expert in this area, with more than 17 years' experience of helping charities and social cause organisations to work with celebrities and other influencers. He loves to de-mystify the process. Building on the ideas covered in Episode 119, this is Rob's second recent interview with Paul. This time they focus on tactics and examples in terms of Research; Activations – as in, what you ask people to do – and Measurement. If you want to share this episode with others you think it would help, THANK YOU! And we would love to hear what you think. Paul and Rob are both on Linked In and on twitter Paul is @PaulKatzNYC and Rob is @woods_rob; or you can follow Bright Spot on Instagram at @brightspotfundraising.

If your charity is relatively small or less well known, how do you increase your chances of winning valuable partnerships and media appeals? This time Rob spoke to Beatrice Sayer, a smart corporate fundraiser at the UK charity Magic Breakfast, about the innovative approach she used when applying to the Times and Sunday Times Christmas Appeal 2022. She explains why she feels a ‘WOW moment' was essential to lift their chances of winning, and how she followed through on her good ideas. Rob and Beatrice agree that you can't do this every time, but for when it is worth the risk, they share various tips to help you execute your own WOW factor idea. If you want to share this episode with others you think it would help, THANK YOU SO MUCH! We would love to hear what you think. Beatrice and Rob are both on Linked In and on twitter Rob is @woods_rob, or you can follow Bright Spot on Instagram at @brightspotfundraising.

Most fundraisers agree that you won't achieve serious growth without first investing in fundraising. But how do you actually persuade the board to invest? In this episode from the archive, originally released in December 2019, Rob Woods talks to Adam Heuman. In three separate charities, of varying sizes, Adam has asked the board to invest, and all three times his request has been successful. Rob and Adam talk about what holds many fundraising directors back from even exploring the issue, and why Adam feels it's so important to address it. He explains the particular things he does when he prepares. Using stories from across his career, Adam explains the crucial question he always asks the board; the mistake he once made which wasted time and why it's usually right to start the process even if you don't yet know all the answers.

120. How to add Wow Factor to funding applications, with David Burgess by Rob Woods, Bright Spot

Clearly influencers can boost your charity's effectiveness in various ways, including through more successful fundraising. But assuming you don't already have amazing personal connections, how can you find and work with influential people who could further your cause? Rob was delighted to interview Paul Katz, who has been helping charities and non-profits do this for the last 18 years. Paul has found that regardless of the size of your charity, if you do certain things in a certain order, you can achieve valuable results. He explains this process and shares practical things that any charity / non-profit can do to work effectively with celebrities and other influencers. If you want to share this episode with others you think it would help, THANK YOU! And we would love to hear what you think. Paul and Rob are both on Linked In and on twitter Paul is @PaulKatzNYC and Rob is @woods_rob; or you can follow Bright Spot on Instagram at @brightspotfundraising.

If you'd like to hear some key ideas and stories from the podcast in 2022, or you'd like tips for what you or your team could listen to, to help with current challenges, here is the second of our special round-ups. Rob is joined by the brilliant Louise Morris to talk about a handful of ideas / episodes they've been finding most helpful in the last 12 months. They discuss inspiring stories from the last 30 episodes, including: thankathons – how (and why are they so effective!); major and mid-value donor strategies; how to transform gift aid sign up results; and effective (staff) retention strategies. If you'd like to get in touch or share this episode with other charities, THANK YOU SO MUCH - we really appreciate your help! (Or please let us know your own favourite episode.) You can find us both on Linked In and on twitter Louise is @summitfundraise and Rob is @woods_rob.

If you'd like to hear some useful lessons and stories from the podcast in 2022, or you'd like tips for you or your team on what to listen to next, we recorded this special episode to help. Rob is joined by the always-inspiring Louise Morris of Summit Fundraising to talk about a handful of episodes they've been finding most helpful in the last year. They discuss inspiring stories from the show this year, including: a really effective habit that helps you look after yourself in spite of tough times; how to win more pitches; working with ‘experts by experience' to improve fundraising; and how to proactively create your own match fund to inspire spectacular individual giving results, even now. If you'd like to get in touch or share this episode with other charities, THANK YOU SO MUCH! You can find us both on Linked In and on twitter Louise is @summitfundraise and Rob is @woods_rob.

In conducting thousands of fundraising experiments, Tim has found that the most reliable way any charity can grow digital income (and boost the other fundraising streams) is to develop what he calls an effective Value Proposition. Rob and Tim discuss what he has found to be the four key elements of effective propositions: Appeal, Exclusivity, Credibility and Clarity. They offer tips to help you test and improve your own charity's messaging in this way and they share the example of a charity which used this idea to increase website donations by 147.5%. If you want to share this episode with others you think it would help, THANK YOU! And we would love to hear what you think. Tim and Rob are both on Linked In and on twitter Tim is @DigitalDonor and Rob is @woods_rob; or you can follow Bright Spot on Instagram at @brightspotfundraising.

This time Rob talks to the brilliant Louisa Dodd about several ideas that have brought her success this year. This includes: getting super clear on who your ideal donors / partners / supporters are; adding genuine value to them; how to be outcome-focused; and story-telling. These themes sometimes get discussed in fundraising, but they're not always easy to apply, so we hope you find these examples helpful. If you want to share this episode with others you think it would help, THANK YOU SO MUCH! And we would love to hear what you think. Louisa and Rob are both on Linked In and on twitter Rob is @woods_rob; or you can follow Bright Spot on Instagram at @brightspotfundraising.

What can charities do to maintain and grow income at a time when the cost of living is making life so difficult? In this episode Rob talks to Tim Kachuriak, founder of the digital fundraising agency and research lab, Next After. They explore why a testing mentality is so valuable. And Tim shares three practical examples of things you can do now to increase digital / individual giving income for your charity. If you want to share this episode with others you think it would help, THANK YOU! And we would love to hear what you think. Tim and Rob are both on Linked In and on twitter Rob is @woods_rob; or you can follow Bright Spot on Instagram at @brightspotfundraising.

One tactic that can transform fundraising results is match funding. But how do you achieve the initial gifts from major donors, and how can you make effective use of the enticing offer? In this episode Rob talks to an innovative fundraiser named Ilana Jackman about how one university has made match funding work in exciting, new ways this year. She explains how the match has inspired more donors to set up regular gifts and encouraged many existing donors to upgrade their giving per month. If you want to share this episode with others you think it would help, THANK YOU! And we would love to hear what you think. Ilana and Rob are both on Linked In and on twitter Rob is @woods_rob.

If you've ever been inspired by a good fundraising idea or principle, but failed to put it into practice, I hope you're going to find this a valuable listen. Grace Cannings is a smart fundraiser who has found a way to improve her chances of building proactive habits that generate improved fundraising results. In this episode she explains the technique and offers tips to help you try it yourself. If you want to share this episode with others you think it would help, THANK YOU! And we would love to hear what you think. Grace and Rob are both on Linked In and on twitter Rob is @woods_rob; or you can follow Bright Spot on Instagram at @brightspotfundraising.

What can you do to build better, more long-term relationships with funders? In my second interview with trusts and foundations fundraising expert, Neela Jane Stansfield, we explore ideas for creating fabulous stewardship and stronger relationships with funders. Our conversation includes creativity, the personal touch, story-telling and the importance of nurturing relationships with colleagues. If you want to share this episode with others you think it would help, THANK YOU! And we would love to hear what you think. Neela Jane and Rob are both on Linked In and on twitter Rob is @woods_rob; or you can follow Bright Spot on Instagram at @brightspotfundraising.

This time we're looking at successful fundraising with trusts and foundations, with an interview with Neela Jane Stansfield, author of Grants Fundraising, a new book published by the DSC. Central to Neela Jane's philosophy is the importance of working hard to build relationships with funders. This is not always easy, so I was delighted to discuss various things that fundraisers can do in practice. We share a range of ideas to help you grow fundraising income through better insight and connection with funders. If you want to share this episode with others you think it would help, THANK YOU! And we would love to hear what you think. Neela Jane and Rob are both on Linked In and on twitter Rob is @woods_rob; or you can follow Bright Spot on Instagram at @brightspotfundraising.

What can charities do to shift power to those with lived experience of the issues the charity addresses? And how can this approach improve fundraising? Lulu Smithwick is Senior Public Fundraising Manager at Refugee Action, and Shukri Adan is a former Expert by Experience Fundraising Advisor. In this, the second half of Rob's recent interview, they talk about applying this approach to corporate partnerships, major donor fundraising and what Shukri did as guest editor of the supporters' magazine. If you want to share this episode with others you think it would help, THANK YOU! And we would love to hear what you think. Lulu and Rob are on Linked In and on twitter Rob is @woods_rob.

How do you shift power to those with experience of the issues your charity addresses? And what are the many benefits of this approach? This time, Rob talks to Lulu Smithwick, Senior Public Fundraising Manager, and Shukri Adan, a former Expert by Experience Fundraising Advisor, for Refugee Action. They explain the charities' approach, which aims to make the process valuable to the group, as well as good for fundraising. And they describe some of the creative ideas and insights that contributed to, among other things, a 25% increase in results for their individual giving appeal and a very successful Radio 4 Appeal. If you want to share this episode with others you think it would help, THANK YOU! And we would love to hear what you think. Lulu and Rob are on Linked In and on twitter Rob is @woods_rob; or you can follow Bright Spot on Instagram at @brightspotfundraising.

Dramatic rises in the cost of living continue to create challenges for charity fundraisers, and as we move towards autumn and winter, the challenges may well get tougher still. So in this episode, Rob shares an excerpt from the recent Breakfast Club for Fundraising Leaders, in which he shares three ideas that he believes will help many fundraisers to do well in spite of these tough times. In particular, he shares tactics and examples to help with: messaging during tough times, sharpening focus and managing your state / mindset. If you want to share this episode with others you think it would help, thank you! I'd love to hear what you think, eg through Linked In – Rob Woods - or on twitter at @woods_rob; or you can follow Bright Spot on Instagram at @brightspotfundraising. Key words

If you've ever wondered about ways to attract / receive donations from people interested in cryptocurrency, check out these two episodes with Nicola Gunn (episode 105 and 106). In this, the second half of our chat, Nicola explains how her charity has attracted and received valuable donations through NFTs (non-fungible tokens). We also discuss some risk factors to weigh up and potentially mitigate if you decide to explore crypto-philanthropy for your charity. If you want to share this episode with others you think it would help, THANK YOU! And we would love to hear what you think. On twitter we are @NicolaGunn_ and @woods_rob, we are both on Linked In or you can follow Bright Spot on Instagram at @brightspotfundraising.

Nicola and Rob talk about her charity's progress and learnings in raising funds through crypto-philanthropy. Nicola demystifies key concepts; talks about some fabulous successes so far, including a gift worth £87,000; and shares lots of tips to help other charities interested in exploring the opportunities. If you want to share this episode with others you think it would help, thank you! And we would love to hear what you think. On twitter we are @NicolaGunn_ and @woods_rob, we are both on Linked In or you can follow Bright Spot on Instagram at @brightspotfundraising.