The Fundraising Everywhere Podcast

Breaking Down Silos: How to Integrate Fundraising and Marketing Teams

Are your fundraising and marketing teams working in silos? You're not alone. In this episode, host Simon Scriver sits down with Amy Hutchings, co-founder of Storykind, to tackle one of the charity sector's most persistent challenges: the disconnect between fundraising and marketing departments.

Amy shares insights from her new book "Smashing the Silos" and reveals why even well-intentioned organisations struggle with integration. From misaligned audience targeting to competing Christmas campaigns, Amy brings proven strategies to help organisations work better together

In this episode, you'll discover:
- Why silos form in the first place (hint: it's not just about different goals)
- The hidden cost of separate brand and fundraising strategies
- How personal targets can sabotage collaboration
- Amy's "3 C's of Integration" framework you can implement immediately
- Why your first integrated campaign will probably be terrible (and why that's okay)

Want to continue your learning? Join Amy and other brilliant speakers at our Fundraising Marketing Conference on the 26th February

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.

 

The Boring Fund: Funding What Funders Won't

What if someone actually followed through on that joke we all make: "If I won the lottery, I'd fund the boring stuff"?

In this episode, host Simon Scriver sits down with Christina Poulton, the creator of The Boring Fund—a micro-grant initiative that started as an Instagram joke and turned into a movement that awarded 43 grants to small charities across the UK.

Christina shares how a post featuring her daughter's teddy bear as "Chair of Trustees" went viral in the non-profit world, sparking over 500,000 engagements and revealing a desperate need for funding that covers the unsexy essentials: insurance, web hosting, accountancy, shelving, and yes- even biscuits for community groups.

In this conversation, you'll discover:
- Why traditional grant applications are built on mistrust rather than partnership
- How Christina stripped her application process down to under 5 minutes
- What happens when charities can't afford the "boring stuff" (spoiler: they reduce delivery or close down)
- The emotional relief organisations felt when they didn't have to "dress up" what they actually needed
- Why The Boring Fund is going open-source and spreading to countries around the world
- How funders can learn from this accessible, transparent approach to grant-making

If you've ever sat on a rickety chair writing a grant application for someone else's shiny project while your own operational costs go unfunded, this episode is for you.

Find Christina:
Website
LinkedIn 
Instagram

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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 Latest Event Fundraising Insights To Put Into Action In 2026

If you’re responsible for event fundraising at your charity, you already know the reality: limited time, tight budgets, and punchy targets.

This session aims to give you the edge, with insights from thousands of JustGiving fundraisers and 600 charities in our Event Fundraising Snapshot survey.

Join Phoebe Sabin, Growth Marketing Manager at JustGiving and Susie Mullen, Owner of Analysis to Understanding as they unpack the highlights from the latest JustGiving Event Fundraising Report, and reveal the practical insights you’ll want to put into action for 2026 and beyond.

Key learnings:

• Understand the bigger picture: see how event fundraising is evolving across the sector, and how it could influence your charity’s strategy.
• Identify opportunities and challenges: gain insight into where charities are thriving and where hurdles remain.
• Turn insights into action: leave with a clearer view of trends you can use to shape your plans for 2026 and beyond.

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.

Member Spotlight: Georgia Aker on Growing Spinal Research Events from £100K to £630k

In this episode of the Fundraising Everywhere podcast, host Simon Scriver sits down with Georgia Aker, Head of Events at Spinal Research and Fundraising Everywhere member, to unpack one of the most impressive events fundraising growth stories we've heard.

When Georgia joined Spinal Research post-COVID, the charity was bringing in around £100,000 annually from events. Fast forward to 2025, and they've raised £630,000—a 6x increase in just a few years.

But here's the twist: they achieved this growth while losing over half their London Marathon places (from 170 down to 80) due to ballot changes.

In this conversation, Georgia shares:
- How they used "zero-risk" event partnerships to expand their portfolio without upfront costs
- The game-changing impact of introducing first fundraising targets (which added £100K in year two alone)
- Their approach to converting cold event participants into long-term supporters
- Practical tips on Meta advertising, relationship building, and managing a lean events team
- How they're making events more accessible across all budgets and fitness levels

Want to dive deeper into events fundraising strategies?
Join us at the Events Fundraising Conference on January 29th for more case studies, practical how-tos, and expert insights.

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.

The Art of Donor-Led Events

In this episode of the Fundraising Everywhere podcast, host Simon Scriver sits down with Angie Turner, Senior Philanthropy Manager at the Children's Trust, to explore the art of donor-led events and building sustainable major gifts programs.

With over 30 years of fundraising experience, Angie shares her journey from being in foster care to becoming a successful fundraiser who has built a £700,000 annual major donor program from scratch. She reveals the secrets behind her most successful fundraising strategy: donor-led pledge dinners that have raised up to £100,000 in a single night.

In this episode, you'll learn:
- How to organise donor-led events that turn guests into long-term supporters
- The power of the "pledge moment" and why asking on the night is so effective
- How to identify the right people to host events (and why not everyone is suited for it)
- Practical tips for contact mapping and guest list development
- How AI tools like ChatGPT are transforming fundraising workflows
- Why relationship-building remains at the heart of successful fundraising, even after 30 years

Angie also discusses the challenges facing fundraisers in 2025, the importance of cross-team collaboration, and how the Children's Trust raised a record-breaking £240,000 during the Big Give Christmas Challenge.

Dive deeper at our Fundraising Events Conference on Thursday 29th January

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.

Beyond the event: learnings from high value calendars

Through the lens of working with around 20 organisations annually on their high value events portfolios, we’ll share learnings from the last 12 months. If you’re responsible for raising money through events for major donors/HNWIs, join Rebecca Elcome, Managing Director of Coveted Crates as she explores how to make the most of these experiences to build meaningful relationships with new and prospective donors.

Key learnings from this session:
Trends and learnings from 2024 events season
How to use these and your own learnings to inform future plans
How to ensure you maximise the opportunities post-event and build lasting donor relationships

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.

Birds, Memes, and Fundraising Gold: Jake Massey on Winning IWITOT 2025

In this episode of the Fundraising Everywhere Podcast, host Simon Scriver sits down with Jake Massey, the winner of IWITOT 2025 (“I Wish I’d Thought of That”). Jake, Senior Innovation Executive at the RSPCA, shares his journey to the top of this year’s event and reveals the story behind his winning idea: the RSPB’s viral “Bird of the Week” TikTok campaign.

Tune in as Jake discusses how a fun, meme-driven social media campaign turned into a fundraising and branding phenomenon, generating not just revenue but also national buzz and community engagement. Discover the power of creative risk-taking, the value of sharing ideas across the charity sector, and why collaboration and innovation are more important than ever for fundraisers.

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.

Communicating Well With Bereaved Supporters

This session, presented by the National Bereavement Service (NBS Bereavement Services: Free Support for Bereaved People) will raise delegate awareness and understanding of bereavement, grief and loss. The session will provide content that will enhance best practice when working with bereaved people. Those attending the training will be supported to reflect on the nature of sensitive conversations that they may have with bereaved people who may be donating in memory of someone who has died, or those who are leaving a legacy, perhaps due to a life-limiting or terminal diagnosis.
This session is suitable for anyone in the charity fundraising sector who is supporting and communicating with people who are living with bereavement.

Agenda

• Overview of Bereavement, Grief and Loss
• Improving Communication with Bereaved People
• Signposting and Supportive Resources
• The Importance of Resilience & Self-care

At the end of the session, in addition to gaining insight and knowledge, you should feel more comfortable and confident engaging in sensitive conversations with empathy, compassion and care.

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.

Escaping the Echo Chamber: Listening Beyond Ourselves in Fundraising

Are you stuck in an echo chamber? In this episode of the Fundraising Everywhere podcast, host Simon Scriver is joined by Steven Dodds, Managing Director of Beautiful Insights and Nick Barthram, Founder of Firehaus to explore how echo chambers form within the charity and nonprofit sectors—and why breaking out of them is essential for effective fundraising and communication.

Together, they discuss:
- What echo chambers look like in fundraising and organisational culture
- The risks of making assumptions about donors and supporters
- How to use research and real-world testing to challenge internal biases
- The “distinctiveness vs. demand” matrix for crafting messages that stand out and resonate
- The role of AI and technology in understanding audiences and measuring impact
- Practical steps for charities and universities to avoid insular thinking and connect with the people they serve

Whether you’re a fundraiser, nonprofit leader, or just curious about how organisations can better listen and adapt, this episode is packed with insights and actionable advice.

If you’d like to connect with our guests or learn more about their work, don’t hesitate to reach out:

Beautiful Insights: beautifulinsights.com
Email: steven@beautifulinsights.com

Firehaus: firehaus.co.uk
Email: nick@firehaus.co.uk

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.

Creating Safe Spaces For Trans and Queer Employees

Creating a truly trans-inclusive workplace goes beyond policy, it’s about everyday actions, leadership, and allyship. In this empowering session hosted by Cam St-Omer Donaldson; Arlo Hilton and Luca Straker will share real experiences, explore common challenges queer employees face, and provide practical guidance for leaders, managers, and allies at every level. You’ll learn how to navigate difficult situations, check your privilege, and build confidence to speak up and support colleagues effectively and treat everyone individually. With actionable tips, real-life examples, and insights on ethics and organisational change.

This session explores how organisations can build safer and more inclusive environments for trans and queer employees by addressing everyday challenges and systemic barriers. Drawing on lived experiences, it reflects on moments when workplace practices succeed or fall short and considers what meaningful changes can improve the lives of queer colleagues.

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.