Advertise on podcast: Fundraising Bright Spots

Charities rely on numbers to communicate impact. Yet year after year, supporters nod politely when you quote your statistics - without really understanding or feeling the profound meaning behind them. How can you translate your numbers so donors connect emotionally and feel moved to give? Rob was thrilled to talk to Karla Starr, co-author of the brilliant Making Numbers Count, to share techniques for bringing your most important numbers to life.    Whether you're writing grant proposals, donor reports, campaign appeals, or you sometimes pitch for funding, this episode gives ideas and examples to help you make your numbers sing.

Every fundraiser knows those conversations that get avoided. The donor meeting where the ask never gets made. The strategic mistake that goes ahead because we didn’t manage to speak up. Paul McKenzie from Giant Steps calls this 'being nice' as opposed to ‘being kind’. And he reckons it's costing you more than you think. In this refreshingly honest conversation, Paul unpacks why the bravest thing you can do is ask clearly, speak truly, and stop softening things because they feel awkward. He agrees it doesn’t always feel easy! And he shares things you can do to get yourself to speak up anyway, and the massive upside when you prioritise ‘kind’ over ‘nice’.  We'd love to know what you think! And thank you for supporting our podcast, e.g. by sharing it with colleagues or on social media. We are both on LinkedIn.

Most fundraisers know the frustration of hearing a funder say no to something you believe in. After years of this, Shamime decided to stop asking funders to fit her vision into their boxes - and started building her own system instead. She created Bollyfit Active to solve a real problem: giving women a safe, culturally affirming space to enjoy exercise. But funding challenges tested her resolve. This episode captures the moment she shifted from grant dependency to earned income and found a better strategy. It's a lesson in trusting your vision, telling your story and adapting your approach until it works.

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 makes work more interesting and rewarding. If you've ever wondered whether playing it safe is costing you more than it's saving you, this one's worth a listen.

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 assume. And she offers practical tools to help you reduce how often they arise – and find your way back to feeling confident.

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 practices and tools to help you enjoy your work.

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 small charity in around six weeks. His insights include: why thorough preparation beats rushing to send an ask; how a free, 40-minute online event generated valuable major gifts; the power of radical transparency with your supporters; and why an emergency appeal is a “one-shot” - and needs to be treated as such.

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 chances of winning.   Why? Because the moment you decide to really go for that valuable funding application or ideal partnership, you gain three advantages over the many other organisations that haven’t done so. You find courage you didn’t know you had, creative ideas you wouldn’t otherwise have thought of, and a persistence that outlasts setbacks.    If there’s a fundraising or career opportunity you want to really go for, this episode is for you.

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 most successful school Giving Day ever run in the UK; the lasting fundraising benefits that a well-run Giving Day creates long after the event is over; how to approach match funding and make it work hard for you; smart ways to keep your Giving Day feeling fresh and engaging; and how the process can be a wonderful opportunity to deepen relationships within your charity and across your community. We'd love to know what you think! And thank you so much for supporting the show, e.g. by sharing it with colleagues or on social media. We are both on LinkedIn.

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 a team training day with Bright Spot a year ago, Sarah’s team have been creatively applying certain principles and enjoying the difference they have made.  This wide-ranging conversation includes: the communication shift that inspired a new five figure gift from a foundation; the storytelling approach that moved a corporate partner to choose to extend for a new valuable three-year partnership; the factors that have boosted the team’s confidence; ideas for building relationships internally; and what led her team to create their Trolley of Joy! We’d love to know what you think! And thank you for supporting our podcast, e.g. by sharing it with colleagues or on social media. We are both on LinkedIn.

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 hope Sarah’s insights will help you be tenacious and creative when your idea or proposal still makes sense, so that you too get the transformational results that your hard work deserves.  We’d love to know what you think! And thank you so much for supporting our show (e.g. by sharing it with colleagues or on social media). You can find both Rob and Sarah on LinkedIn.

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 Fundraising, talks about a range of effective strategies that have been inspired by listening to the Fundraising Bright Spots show.  This conversation with Rob includes their approach to: stewardship; thanking; the 80/20 Principle; creating Wow Moments; and a culture of learning. She also describes a Gift Aid campaign that has so far inspired an extra 7% of supporters to opt in. We’d love to know what you think! And thank you so much for supporting our show, e.g. by sharing it with colleagues or on social media. We are both on LinkedIn.

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 about where to invest your precious time; and identify the leverage points that solve your biggest fundraising challenges. These aren't about working harder - they're about working smarter. And the best part? You can start any of them today. If you'd like to get in touch or share this episode with other charities, thank you very much! We are both on LinkedIn

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 that one fundraising team used to win three massive Corporate Partnerships in a row; how to solve internal conflicts over messaging, and inspire far more support; techniques for transforming your success rate with Trusts and Foundations; and the strategies Debbie used to double her Major Gifts results.  If you’d like to get in touch or share this episode with other charities, thank you very much! We are both on LinkedIn.

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 was at risk.  One year later, they have had their best year to date, passing £1m in revenue. In this interview, Juliane Caillouette Noble, Managing Director of the SRA, shares the strategies they’ve used to achieve this stunning comeback. It includes lessons about adapting your strategy, the huge benefits of getting clear about who your ideal partner is, storytelling and how to hang in there during the tough times.  We’d love to know what you think! And thank you so much for supporting our show, e.g. by sharing it with colleagues or on social media. We are both on LinkedIn.