What key skills do charity professionals need to stay relevant and effective? What have you learned from working with podcast guests? Should charity professionals have communications training as part of their onboarding process?

In this final episode, the tables are turned and Zac gets interviewed by Rebecca Dallimore. Rebecca was the Chair of Trustees for the Charity Professional Development Company and is the Corporate Liaison Officer with SEED Madagascar.

You can find out more about Rebecca on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccadallimore/

And you can stay in touch with Zac on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/

// REFLECTION

A request that you continue to try to contribute more to your cause.

// RESOURCES

Rapoport's Rules https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Rapoport%27s_Rules

Organisations that support charities:

Charity Learning Consortium https://charitylearning.org/

CharityConnect https://www.charityconnect.co.uk/

Cornerstone Foundation https://www.cornerstoneondemand.org/

Cranfield Trust https://www.cranfieldtrust.org/

Directory of Social Change https://www.dsc.org.uk/

Ethical Angel https://www.ethicalangel.com/

The Fore https://thefore.org/

Getting on Board https://www.gettingonboard.org/

Matchable https://wearematchable.com/

Media Trust https://mediatrust.org/

NCVO https://www.ncvo.org.uk/

NPC https://www.thinknpc.org/

Philanthropy University https://www.philanthropyu.org/

Pilotlight https://www.pilotlight.org.uk/

Rogare https://www.rogare.net/

TrustLaw https://www.trust.org/trustlaw/

The Whole Story https://www.thewholestory.org.uk/

Journals focusing on the charity sector:

Nonprofit Management & Leadership https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal/15427854/homepage/productinformation.html

Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly https://journals.sagepub.com/home/nvs

Journal of Philanthropy and Marketing https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/26911361

Philanthropy & Education https://muse.jhu.edu/journal/833

VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations https://www.springer.com/journal/11266

Voluntary Sector Review https://bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journals/vsr/vsr-overview.xml?tab_body=latest-issue

// CHAPTERS

(0:00) Intro

(1:40) Why is the Contribute More podcast ending?

(3:50) What key skills do charity professionals need to stay relevant and effective?

(5:27) How can charity professionals stay on top of growing their skillset with limited time and skills?

(9:07) What have you learned from working with podcast guests?

(12:07) Were all of your guests addressing the barriers of time and money?

(13:36) Is there anything you want to explore further following hosting the podcast?

(16:41) Should charity professionals have communications training as part of their onboarding process?

(19:10) Should charity professionals be asking for professional development to be written into employment contracts?

(30:10) Zac gets on his soapbox about unrestricted funding

(23:26) Outro

(25:03) Reflection

How can co-creation lead to more successful projects? How do you avoid being tokenistic? How do you check your ego? When should you not co-create?

In this episode, you’ll hear from Madi Pollard-Shore, a Business Analyst at Girlguiding and a charity consultant.

You can find out more about Madi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madison-pollard-shore/

Or her website, Kalechi Consulting: https://www.kalechiconsulting.co.uk/

Contribute More is hosted by Zac Parsons. Find out more about him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/

// REFLECTION

Have a conversation with a colleague about the extent to which you currently co-create with your service users. Could your work benefit from co-creation? What small projects do you have in the pipeline that could pilot co-creation?

// RESOURCES

Girlguiding: https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/

// CHAPTERS

(0:00) Intro

(1:00) What is co-creation and inclusivity in decision-making?

(2:02) How does co-creation inclusivity help us contribute more to our cause?

(5:58) What are the alternatives to co-creation and why are they problematic?

(8:45) How do I deliver a co-creation project?

(11:45) Why recording learning is good, but using that learning is better

(14:08) How do you avoid being tokenistic in co-creation projects? How do you select a representative sample?

(18:32) Dealing with service users telling you your service isn’t good enough

(22:09) What types of projects aren’t appropriate for co-creation?

(30:10) Key takeaways

(27:54) Outro

(28:27) Reflection

How do you genuinely involve the community in project design, implementation, and monitoring? How do you avoid courtesy bias in needs assessments? How do you balance short-term needs with longer-term prosperity?

In this episode, you’ll hear from Olivia Barker White, a Co-Founder and the CEO of Kids Club Kampala.

You can find out more about Olivia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-barker-white-06102a17/

Or by following her on X: https://twitter.com/oliviambarker

Contribute More is hosted by Zac Parsons. Find out more about him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/

// REFLECTION

Have a conversation with a colleague about how you involve key stakeholders. Do you think there are ways you could involve them more? Challenge yourself to consider whether you’re holding onto things you shouldn’t be because of ego or low expectations of your stakeholders.

// RESOURCES

Kids Club Kampala: https://www.kidsclubkampala.org/

For a summary of their independent evaluation: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/513cc55f82.html

Four phases of project management: https://hbr.org/2016/11/the-four-phases-of-project-management

// CHAPTERS

(0:00) Intro

(2:13) Why is a community-led approach important for Kids’ Club Kampala

(6:54) Importance of understanding the problem

(10:21) An overview of Kids’ Club Kampala’s approach to community-led development

(14:04) Balancing short- and long-term needs

(16:41) Solving for courtesy bias when performing needs assessments in international development

(19:54) Being community-led during the implementation of projects

(25:27) How to start being (more) community-led in your charity

(28:54) Outro

(30:10) Reflection

What makes a good charity shop location? Why should you never say that you don’t have competitors? How can you make better decisions? Why shouldn’t we dismiss the tools of the private sector?

In this episode, you’ll hear from Caroline Glackin, a Professor of Entrepreneurship at Broadwell College of Business and Economics.

This conversation was based on a paper by Caroline and Burcu Adivar titled: Improving Location Decisions For Charity Retailers: Applying Operations Research and Customer Discovery

The paper is available here: https://doi.org/10.1177/08997640221146934

You can find out more about Caroline on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolineglackin/

Or on her university’s faculty page: https://www.uncfsu.edu/academics/colleges-schools-and-departments/broadwell-college-of-business-and-economics/faculty-and-staff

Contribute More is hosted by Zac Parsons. Find out more about him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/

// REFLECTION

Have a conversation with a colleague about how your organisation approaches decision-making. Do you ever discuss how you’ll make a decision? Do you consider which criteria are and aren’t relevant to the decision? Do you regularly identify and weigh up trade-offs?

// RESOURCES

Habitat for Humanity ReStores: https://www.habitat.org/restores

Business model canvas: https://www.strategyzer.com/library/the-business-model-canvas

Mission model canvas: https://www.strategyzer.com/library/the-mission-model-canvas-an-adapted-business-model-canvas-for-mission-driven-organizations

// CHAPTERS

(0:00) Intro

(2:13) Why does the framework use a business model and analytical approach?

(6:30) Applying the business model canvas in a charity context

(11:44) Centre of gravity analysis for choosing shop locations

(13:19) Location of donors

(16:59) Location of staff and volunteers

(19:39) Location of customers

(22:26) Location of competitors and direct vs indirect competitors

(27:13) Choosing a location from a series of options using multi-criteria decision-making

(34:07) Key takeaways

(41:02) Outro

(41:45) Reflection

Can risk management actively support achieving your objectives? Is it possible for risk management to feel less burdensome? What is objective-centred risk management?

In this episode, you'll hear from Sabrina Segal, a third-sector integrity, risk, and compliance advisor.

Find out more about Sabrina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smsegal/

Listen to Sabrina’s podcast, Tolerable Risk: https://open.spotify.com/show/65pY1B7VtpEYvtgQ1WXI3O?si=38571e5ce2dc4c0d

Contribute More is hosted by Zac Parsons. Find out more about him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/

// REFLECTION

Have a conversation with a colleague about how useful your current approach to risk management is, and whether objective-centred risk management might better suit your needs.

// RESOURCES

ISO 31000: https://www.iso.org/iso-31000-risk-management.html

To see Sabrina’s flower diagram: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6906894632501022721/

Tim Leech: https://riskoversightsolutions.com/

// CHAPTERS

(0:00) Intro

(1:43) Defining risk management

(3:31) Hazards vs Threats

(6:16) Why should I spend time on risk management?

(8:16) Using the flower to map objectives and risks

(10:15) Risk management as an integrated part of our charitable work

(11:42) Objective-centred risk management vs traditional risk management

(17:20) Likelihood and severity in traditional risk management vs objective-centred risk management

(23:27) How do I prioritise risk mitigation without scoring risks?

(29:54) Risk management tools don’t work if misused by managers (spoilers)

(31:16) Costing risks and integrating risk management into decision-making

(33:33) Ongoing risk management and objective certainty reporting

(40:11) Key takeaways

(45:00) Outro

(46:11) Reflection

How can you design an inclusive challenge? How do you balance fundraiser empowerment with ensuring accurate messaging? How do you foster a community around a fundraising challenge?

What is leadership as a practice? How can you define the leadership practices in your organisation? How can day-to-day leadership practices be bundled? How do approaches to leadership differ with higher levels of role delineation?

In this episode, you'll hear from Carol Jacklin-Jarvis, a Senior Lecturer and former director of the Open University’s Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership. You are welcome to reach out to Carol about her work on [email protected]

You can find out more about your host, Zac Parsons, on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/

This conversation was based on a paper published by Carol Jacklin-Jarvis and James Rees called Fun, lifelong relationships, and a safer community: Understanding collective leadership practice in a grassroots association. It is available here: http://oro.open.ac.uk/78673/3/78673.pdf

// RESOURCES

Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership: https://www.open.ac.uk/centres/voluntary-sector-leadership/

CVSL's portal on OpenLearn: https://www.open.edu/openlearn/education-development/free-leadership-courses-the-voluntary-sector

// REFLECTION

Make a list of what you think the leadership practices are in your organisation. Discuss your list with a colleague. Do they agree? What would they add? What would they remove? Do any clear bundles of leadership emerge?

// CHAPTERS

(0:00) Intro

(0:37) What is meant by leadership as a practice?

(1:40) How does leadership as a practice differ from other leadership models?

(4:32) Creating bundles of leadership practices

(8:27) Can leadership as a practice be applied in organisations with stricter role delineation?

(14:09) How to define bundles of leadership practice in your organisation

(20:31) Do leadership practices change over time?

(24:49) How to effectively use management tools

(26:50) Free resources from the Open University’s Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership

(27:53) Looking at leadership through a different lens

(29:19) Find out more about Carol

(30:04) Outro

How does our enjoyment of giving to charity change in the short and long term? Does giving with others increase our enjoyment of giving and generosity? Could collaborative giving increase lifetime generosity? Should your charity invest in encouraging supporters to give collaboratively?

In this episode, you'll hear from Jason Proulx, a PhD student at Simon Fraser University. 

You can find out more about Jason on the links below.

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=MuU4bcUAAAAJ

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jdproulx

This conversation was based on a research paper published by Jason Proulx, Lara Aknin, and Alixandra Barasch called Let’s give together: Can collaborative giving boost generosity? Available here: https://doi.org/10.1177/08997640221074699

You can find out more about your host, Zac Parsons, on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/

//REFLECTION

Have a conversation with a colleague about whether you think the experience of giving to your charity is enjoyable. Do you think that encouraging collaborative giving is something you should explore? 

//SUPPORT US

We are listener supported. To join those already supporting us, visit: https://chpd.co/contribute-to-us/

//CHAPTERS

(0:00) Intro

(0:54) What is collaborative giving?

(2:41) Why do we feel good when giving to charity?

(5:36) How does social psychology contribute to charitable giving?

(8:03) The balance of short-term joy and longer-term fulfilment in charitable giving

(11:13) Does giving collaboratively make people more or less generous?

(13:55) Jason Proulx’s experiments looking at collaborative giving’s impact on enjoyment and generosity

(17:38) Could collaborative giving increase lifetime generosity?

(18:59) Should your charity invest in encouraging collaborative giving?

(20:51) Find out more about Jason

(22:09) Jason’s future research

(23:21) Outro

How can I find time for learning? What are some simple learning methods I can fit into my daily routine? How can I embed a habit of learning?

In this episode, you'll hear from Annie Coulson, a learning & development professional and the Onboarding Coordinator with AND Digital.

You can find out more about Annie on her LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-c-172108133/

Thank you to the team at Matchable for connecting us to Annie. Find out more about their professional volunteering here: https://wearematchable.com/

You can find out more about your host, Zac Parsons, on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/

//REFLECTION

Pick one method of learning discussed in the episode and try it out. Bonus points if you have a conversation with a colleague about which one you tried and how you found it.

//CHAPTERS

(0:00) Intro

(0:34) How can I find more time for learning?

(9:48) What is social learning?

(13:31) What is self-directed learning?

(16:42) What is collaborative learning?

(20:09) What is reflective practice?

(26:58) How can I make a habit of learning?

(30:00) Outro

How does a shared identity contribute to the Royal Opera House's legacy gifts? When do people start to think about giving a legacy gift? How does early adult personality formation influence legacy decisions? How should you talk to supporters about legacy giving?

In this episode, you'll hear from Marina Jones, the Deputy Development Director of English National Opera. You can find out more about Marina on the links below. 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/meenamtj

Marina's website: https://marinajones.uk/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marina-jones-062459107/

This conversation was based on a research paper published by Marina and Claire Routley called “When I go my family will see my life in programmes”: Legacy giving and identity at the Royal Opera House. https://doi.org/10.1002/nvsm.1728

You can find out more about your host, Zac Parsons, on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/

For resources, reflection, and the transcript, visit: https://contributemore.org/mj/

Chapters: 

(0:00) Intro

(0:48) What is the Royal Opera House?

(2:14) What is legacy giving and how does the Royal Opera House approach legacy giving?

(5:31) Different approaches to legacy giving

(8:33) Autobiographical memory and legacy giving

(14:49) Nostalgia and reinforcing memories

(15:56) When do people make legacy gifts?

(19:11) Shared identity in legacy giving

(24:23) Oral histories of the Royal Opera House’s legacy givers

(28:16) How to talk about legacy giving with supporters 

(35:01) How can charities develop a deeper connection with their supporters?

(37:02) Outro