There is no factor more important to your success as a fundraiser than your grit. But is it possible to become more resilient? In this episode of Fundraising Bright Spots, Rob Woods explores the inspiring research of Professor Angela Duckworth who talks about ‘grit’ in terms of how able you are to keep on moving forward, in spite of the setbacks you face. Rob shares key lessons he has learned from studying successful fundraisers over two decades and he shares four ways any of us can improve our ‘bouncebackability’. These include the concepts of ‘growth mindset’, overcoming pessimism and how avoiding certain words increases your resourcefulness to handle your challenges.

Most fundraisers agree that you won’t achieve serious growth without first investing in fundraising. But how do you actually persuade the board to invest? In this episode of Fundraising Bright Spots, Rob Woods talks to Adam Heuman, Director of Engagement at the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. In three separate charities (of varying sizes) Adam has asked the board to invest, and all three times his request has been successful. Rob and Adam talk about what holds many fundraising directors back from even exploring this issue, and why Adam feels it’s such a fundamental challenge to address. And he explains the particular things he does when he prepares a case for investment. Using stories from across his career, Adam explains the crucial question he always asks the board; the particular mistake he once made which wasted loads of time (and what to do instead); and why it’s usually right to start the process even if you don’t yet know all of the answers.

One major challenge for a fundraiser is how you help your colleagues and trustees to see things from the supporters’ point of view. In Episode 4 of the Fundraising Bright Spots podcast, Rob Woods interviews the individual giving expert Rachel Hunnybun about one personalised thank you project and the difference it made to the charity. She explains how handwritten thank you cards were written to anyone who had given more than the amount they normally gave (even if that gift was relatively small), and she shares the valuable impact this special thank you had on later giving, compared to a control group. Rachel and Rob go on to explore a charity that achieves both efficiency and ‘WOW factor’ in its thanking as well as the surprising power of involving non-fundraising colleagues in supporter-focused stewardship activities.

Taking full advantage of an opportunity makes a huge difference to your fundraising momentum. In this episode of Fundraising Bright Spots, Rob Woods talks to Jo Bega, Chief Executive of Child Rescue Nepal. The charity’s Radio 4 Appeal was one of the most successful of the year and in this interview Jo explains how they achieved these stunning results. This included securing investment from the board, tactics with the script and story-telling and ways to help existing supporters make the most of the appeal. We also hear a range of creative tactics Jo and her colleagues use to make their supporters feel special, because ‘a well thanked donor is where your next donation is most likely to come from’. Jo believes the charity’s supporters are an essential part of the mission, and she explains practical ways this belief affects how they communicate.

Many charities spend huge effort recruiting people to do fundraising events, but often fail to inspire them to become long-term supporters. In episode 2 of Fundraising Bright Spots, Rob Woods asks Andy King to explain how he went about solving this missed opportunity when he worked at East African Playgrounds. The strategy was so successful that it was a major factor in the charity’s income growing three-fold in three years. Andy explains how he achieved a better understanding of the supporter’s perspective, in particular why they might want to stay involved, and how he used this insight to change the proposition they were offered at the end of their event. As a result, take-up soared from 1% to around 60% of event participants signing up to support in the long-term. He also explains how this strategy led to growth in trusts and corporate income as well as individual giving.

How can anyone improve their fundraising skills and results? In this first episode of Fundraising Bright Spots, Rob Woods explains a powerful tactic he has been using to help charity fundraisers grow their results over the last two decades. He explores the power of modelling or ‘searching for bright spots’ and shares the most common reason we tend to run out of steam too early when trying to get better at a fundraising skill. Rob describes the particular steps he took early in his career, to improve his confidence in telling stories and he mentions some of the inspiring ‘bright spots’ he will be interviewing later in this series. He also explains four simple things any determined fundraiser could do to help them enjoy increased confidence and progress in their work.