The Fundraising Everywhere Podcast

What does it actually feel like to be a donor — and why does it matter more than you think?

In this episode, host Simon Scriver is joined by Steven Dodds (Managing Director) and Paul Seabrook (CEO) of Beautiful Insights, a full-service market research agency specialising in the charity sector. Together they explore one of the most overlooked challenges in fundraising: how do you measure the emotional experience of your supporters, not just the financial data?

The conversation covers:

• Why satisfaction alone doesn't predict donor loyalty or generosity
• The SAFE Index — Beautiful Insights' benchmarking tool for measuring non-financial supporter KPIs
• How donors often vividly remember why they first gave, but rarely recall anything about the ongoing supporter experience
• Why feeling "useful" might actually be a warning sign in your donor data
• How charities can compete with commercial brands that have mastered emotional advertising
• The difference between transactional stewardship and communications that genuinely move people

This episode sets the scene for Steven and Paul's session at the upcoming Individual Giving Conference, where they'll dive deeper into the specific emotions that drive donor retention — and which ones should have your attention.

Find out more about the SAFE Index and Beautiful Insights at beautifulinsights.com
Join us at our Individual Giving Conference 2026

 

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to hit follow and enable notifications so you'll get notified to be first to hear of future podcast episodes. We'd love to see you back again!

And thank you to our friends at JustGiving who make the Fundraising Everywhere Podcast possible.

In this episode, host Simon Scriver is joined by Natasha Evans (About Loyalty & Your Experience May Vary podcast) and David Amos-Reeves (Prostate Cancer UK & Experience Hub) to reflect on Fundraising Everywhere's recent Supporter Experience Conference.

Together, they unpack some of the conference's key themes - including the "relevancy crisis" facing charities, why so many organisations struggle to turn their commitment to supporter experience into real organisational change, and what it truly means to reflect a supporter's motivations back to them.

They also explore the differences between large and small charities when it comes to delivering great supporter experiences, share standout moments from the conference (including a powerful session on storytelling from Lisa at Fireside Fundraising), and look ahead to what's coming; from AI's role in closing the relevancy gap, to protecting the irreplaceable human element in fundraising.

Members can watch the Supporter Experience Conference sessions On Demand
Not a member? Check out our membership options here

Find Natasha and David's podcast, Your Experience May Vary
Check out The Experience Hub
Connect with David
Connect with Natasha

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to hit follow and enable notifications so you'll get notified to be first to hear of future podcast episodes. We'd love to see you back again!

And thank you to our friends at JustGiving who make the Fundraising Everywhere Podcast possible.

Here's a session from Community Conference 2025, hosted by Nikki Bell.
With speakers: Bushra Ahmed from Lloyds Bank Foundation, Kerry Thomas from Pancreatic Cancer UK, Gemma Sherington from Refuge, Lauren Williams from Age UK

Community Fundraising can help kickstart your career. Don’t believe us? Then hear from four sector leaders, each with very different and inspiring careers as they share how their experiences working in partnership with communities and in community fundraising have helped them be where they are today.

From CEO to board member, to heading up fundraising teams and working across services, our four panellists will share their insight, expertise and learnings that we hope will inspire you in your career path. This session is not to missed!

Our Community Fundraising Conference is back on the 17th June! Learn more here

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to hit follow and enable notifications so you'll get notified to be first to hear of future podcast episodes. We'd love to see you back again!

And thank you to our friends at JustGiving who make the Fundraising Everywhere Podcast possible.

The charitable soft opt-in ICO guidance has just landed.

For many charities, this is the biggest shift in supporter communications rules in years.

And our inbox and membership chat are already full of questions:

• Does event attendance count as expressing interest?
• What about volunteering, buying a raffle ticket, or clicking a link?
• Can we now contact people we previously couldn’t?

And just as importantly…Where are the grey areas charities need to tread carefully?
To help the sector unpack all of this quickly, we’re hosting a session with Mark Burnett from Hope & May.

Get access to the full webinar & 30 minute Q&A.

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to hit follow and enable notifications so you'll get notified to be first to hear of future podcast episodes. We'd love to see you back again!

And thank you to our friends at JustGiving who make the Fundraising Everywhere Podcast possible.

What happens when you hand your fundraising campaign over to an AI?

In this episode, Host Simon Scriver speaks with Ben Cohen, AI Lead at Good Innovation, about a bold experiment he ran during his London Marathon fundraising campaign. Rather than host another bingo night or curry evening, Ben built Zosia; an AI agent - and gave her one job: raise £500 in a month.

Ben shares how he set Zosia up with her own email address, a website, a newsletter, and even a Telegram connection, then gave her as much autonomy as possible. The results were remarkable (she raised nearly £2,000), but not without a few surprises along the way - including the moment she tried to break into his WhatsApp.

They explore what it really means to build an AI agent, why personifying your AI can actually make it work better, and what this experiment reveals about the future of fundraising.

Ben's donation page For Dogs for Good
Meet Zosia
Want to dive deeper into supporter experience? Join us at our Supporter Experience Conference on Thursday 21st May 2026

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to hit follow and enable notifications so you'll get notified to be first to hear of future podcast episodes. We'd love to see you back again!

And thank you to our friends at JustGiving who make the Fundraising Everywhere Podcast possible.

Are you looking to make your emails stand out in ever busier inboxes? It’s time to step away from the humdrum and get creative. In this session the mobilisation agency Claire Donner of More Onion will take you through the key elements of the creative process including practical exercises and ideas you can take away and use with your team right away. They’ll share how you create richer experiences whatever your budget and team size.
Patrick Beswick of the homelessness charity St Mungo’s will then share examples of how they’ve used creativity to step up their supporter engagement and strengthen their fundraising work.

Join us to learn how to add elements of interactivity, creativity and humour to make your emails and webpages stand out and keep supporters engaged.

Key learning from this session:
How to be creative at any budget level and create richer supporter communications.

Want to dive deeper into supporter experience? Join us at our Supporter Experience Conference on Thursday 21st May 2026

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to hit follow and enable notifications so you'll get notified to be first to hear of future podcast episodes. We'd love to see you back again!

And thank you to our friends at JustGiving who make the Fundraising Everywhere Podcast possible.

This episode with Harbi Jama, Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships at Impetus is designed for people considering a career in corporate partnerships or corporate fundraising, as well as those already in the field who are looking to take the next step in their career. Drawing on real-world experience, the discussion will explore what it takes to build successful corporate partnerships, develop commercially minded fundraising skills, and progress into senior leadership roles.

Participants will gain practical advice on career pathways, skill development, and strategic decision-making, including how to position themselves for growth, navigate career transitions, and build strong relationships with corporate partners. The session will also offer honest insights into the realities of the sector, helping attendees make informed choices about what to do next and how to accelerate their impact.

Key learnings from this session
By the end of this session, participants will:
- Understand the different career pathways into corporate partnerships and corporate fundraising
- Gain clarity on the skills, experiences, and mindsets needed to progress at different career stages
- Learn how to build and manage strong corporate relationships, from first conversation to long-term partnership
- Receive practical advice on what to do next to accelerate their career, whether entering the sector or aiming for leadership roles
- Hear honest insights into the realities, challenges, and opportunities of corporate fundraising
- Leave with greater confidence in how to position themselves, grow their network, and maximise impact

Click here to subscribe to our email list for exclusive fundraising resources, early access to training, special discounts and more

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to hit follow and enable notifications so you'll get notified to be first to hear of future podcast episodes. We'd love to see you back again!

And thank you to our friends at JustGiving who make the Fundraising Everywhere Podcast possible.

In this session, Bethan Francis, Managing Director at Stratcom UK will explore the real drivers behind great fundraising calls — and it all starts with the fundraiser. We’ll unpack the qualities and instincts that make some fundraisers exceptional, and what can (and can’t) be taught. From natural empathy and conversational confidence to resilience and active listening, we’ll dive into the key traits that matter most on the phone.

We’ll also share practical insights into how to recruit, train, and retain brilliant callers — including how to keep teams motivated, engaged, and continuously growing in their role. Whether you run a calling team or partner with an agency, this session will give you a fresh perspective on what makes a good call truly great.

Key learnings from this session:
- A great call doesn’t start with a script — it starts with a great fundraiser
- What should you look out for when recruiting a new fundraiser
- What skills and behaviours should you nurture and develop

Want to continue your learning? Join us at our  Face-to-Face and Telephone Fundraising Conference coming up on Thursday 23rd April

f you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to hit follow and enable notifications so you'll get notified to be first to hear of future podcast episodes. We'd love to see you back again!

And thank you to our friends at JustGiving who make the Fundraising Everywhere Podcast possible.

Welcome to the Fundraising Everywhere Podcast, today, we’ve got something a little bit different for you. 

To celebrate our upcoming Face-to-Face and Telephone Fundraising Conference coming up on Thursday 23rd April, we’ve decided to hand the mic over to our guest host Rory White in this special series of episodes called 'It Started On The Street'.

Rory will be chatting to some brilliant leaders in the charity sector and beyond about their journeys since they started their careers as dialogue fundraisers.

"If you caught our previous conversation with Danny McDonnell, you’ll know we love speaking to the dynamic figures who helped shape this sector. Richard is certainly one of them — a one-man dynamo, hugely respected, and someone who’s been at the forefront of face-to-face fundraising since the early days of Gift Fundraising.

I first had the pleasure of working with Richard when he joined Shelter, where he took charge of their fundraising team. He’s obsessive about his craft — deeply passionate about the organisations he works for, and hugely motivational to everyone around him.

Over the years, he’s worked around the world, bringing his unique energy and expertise to countless projects. Now based in Dublin, he runs his own organisation, Emerald Fundraising, which — no surprise — is thriving.

I know you’ll find this conversation as inspiring and energising as I did."

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to hit follow and enable notifications so you'll get notified to be first to hear of future podcast episodes. We'd love to see you back again!

And thank you to our friends at JustGiving who make the Fundraising Everywhere Podcast possible.

The biggest data change for UK charities since GDPR is here — and it's an opportunity you can't afford to miss.
In this episode, host Josh Leigh, Co-Founder of Hynt, the digital fundraising agency, is joined by a panel of expert; fundraising compliance specialist Cam St-Omer Donaldson, people and processes consultant Kirsty Mooney, and digital marketing expert Sarah Crowhurst to break down everything charities need to know about the new Email Soft Opt-In rules.

In this episode, we cover:
- What Email Soft Opt-In actually means and what's changed under the new Data Use and Access Act 2025
- Why we're still waiting on ICO guidance — and what you can do right now while you wait
- Which teams, systems, and processes across your organisation need to be involved
- Why this change is NOT retrospective — and what that means for your existing data
- How to document your decision-making to protect your charity
- The massive opportunity to grow your email and SMS audiences — and how to make the most of it
- What a strong supporter communication programme looks like once you've implemented the change

Want support implementing Email Soft Opt-In at your charity? Email hello@hynt.studio with code PODCAST20 for 20% off.

Click here to subscribe to our email list for exclusive fundraising resources, early access to training, special discounts and more

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to hit follow and enable notifications so you'll get notified to be first to hear of future podcast episodes. We'd love to see you back again!

And thank you to our friends at JustGiving who make the Fundraising Everywhere Podcast possible.