Why Sara Cox Running 135 Miles for Children in Need Is A Masterclass In Genius Fundraising
Just as the annual wave of self-congratulatory Christmas charity ads begins – those glossy, John-Lewis-inspired mini-dramas that lean heavily on sentimentality – something far more powerful has been unfolding across the airwaves, and across the roads of Northumberland, County Durham and Yorkshire. A genuine masterclass...
What Drives the Charity Rebrand Reflex?
Why a tiny sector spends so much time and money changing its name and appearance – and what it reveals about us. Every few months, another charity unveils a bold new logo and a promise to “start a new chapter.” Cue the glossy launch film, a wave...
What happens when silence tells the story in fundraising?
In my presentations I often reflect on why systems break down and how the collapse of norms, logic, and accountability comes about. Why do checks and balances unravel? Why is testing a lost art? Why do people act on assumptions rather than evidence? And why...
How would you fundraise if fear didn’t hold you back?
“The single biggest block to fundraising growth is fear of criticism.” That’s what Alan Clayton told us when he joined us for a second visit to the Two Ps on a Pod sofas for a deep dive into the impact of fear on fundraising. And the more you think about it, the...
It's not a gimmick. It's a gift
I recently visited an elderly charity supporter in their home and noticed a small card displayed above their fireplace. It was a bookmark that had come from a Red Cross mailing that simply read... Never give up. During our conversation, they shared that they’d been...
The quiet disappearance of results-based fundraising
A well-respected consultant got in touch after I announced that I was planning to close Bluefrog and said something that struck a chord: the “pure” results-based agencies – like Bluefrog – are now few and far between. It was a strange thing to hear. Surely...
Tactics, tech, and truths: How to make face-to-face fundraising work better.
We’ve got a cracker of a podcast for you today. On Two Ps on a Pod we are diving into the world of face-to-face fundraising. Giles Pegram CBE and I are joined by Dominic Will, MD of Gather Campaigns, who brings over two decades of frontline...
Who needs loyal donors when you have your own named typeface?
Sir John Hegarty, who knows a thing or two about brands, recently posed an important question on LinkedIn – What do you do when a brand goes wrong? His answer was simple. “Go back to your roots.” Ask yourself some questions: What made you famous?Why did people...
Forecasting Fundraising: What the Intergenerational Wealth Transfer Could Mean for fundraising
I recently produced this chart and thought it worth sharing… I’m currently wrapping up my presentation for the CIOF Fundraising Convention on the impact of the Intergenerational Wealth Transfer – projected to reach around £5.5 trillion in the UK over the next two decades, driven by rising...
Has Trump finally destroyed the mid-value donor?
How Sentinels and Arcadians Are Shaping the Future of Philanthropy From time to time, history gives us a sharp jolt - a moment that doesn’t merely disrupt the surface of things, but reshapes the very foundations of how we think, behave, and give. A financial...
The Essentials
Crack the Code to Regular Giving: Insights, Strategies, and a Special Giveaway!
‘Tis Halloween. Keep to the light and beware the Four Fundraisers of the Apocalypse!
Why do people give? The Donor Participation Project with Louis Diez.
A guide to fundraising on the back of a postcard
What does the latest research tell us about the state of fundraising?