“Immediately after listening to it, I turned to my wife and said, I wish I had had this episode played to me 19 years ago, when I was a first-time major fundraiser.”
If you’d like handy tips and inspiring examples from our fundraising podcast in 2025, or ideas for what to listen to next, we recorded this special show for you.
Fundraising trainers Rob and Ben pick four episodes to inspire you. These ones are a good listen in any season, but they’re even better if you’re listening in December / January.
We pull out highlights including: the pitching strategy that one fundraising team used to win three massive Corporate Partnerships in a row; how to solve internal conflicts over messaging, and inspire far more support; techniques for transforming your success rate with Trusts and Foundations; and the strategies Debbie used to double her Major Gifts results.
If you’d like to get in touch or share this episode with other charities, thank you very much! We are both on LinkedIn.
End Fundraising Podcast Highlights & Recommendations (00:00:05)
Rob and Ben kick off this special year-end episode by recommending standout past episodes, perfect for fundraisers seeking inspiration and practical strategies at any time of year. Ben likens the episode’s evergreen value to “Die Hard” at Christmas—timeless and always relevant.
What Sets Great Fundraising Organisations Apart (00:01:24)
Rob talks about episode 172 with Alan Clayton, delving into what distinguishes consistently high-growth fundraising charities. Alan’s key insight: successful charities excel at both their core mission and at connecting emotionally with supporters. The discussion includes the powerful example of Trócaire, which saw stunning year on year growth after shifting its messaging from “fighting for justice” (which left its core audience cold) to “until love conquers fear”.
Winning Corporate Partnerships & Perfecting Your Pitch (00:08:40)
Ben recommends episode 174 featuring Katie Hillett, which unpacks how to secure major corporate partnerships through expert pitching. Katie shares actionable advice on understanding corporate partners’ needs, refining proposals, and practising pitches for confidence. Ben also discusses the importance of ruthless editing—cutting unnecessary content to focus on what truly matters to partners.
Trusts, Foundations, and the Power of Project Names (00:17:01)
Rob highlights episode 182 with Atul Kumar, offering practical tips for successful trust and foundation fundraising. The conversation addresses overcoming internal barriers to submitting bids and demonstrates how a memorable project name—like “Green Gym” or “Carbon Army”—can significantly boost funding success.
Major Gift Fundraising & Building Donor Relationships (00:23:54)
Ben recommends episode 184 with Debbie Johnson, focusing on the daily habits and thoughtful actions that deepen donor relationships and drive major gift fundraising success. Debbie’s “park story” illustrates how small, genuine gestures can lead to substantial increases in giving.
Wrap-Up, Masterclass Promo, and What’s Next (00:28:41)
Rob and Ben wrap up by encouraging listeners to revisit the recommended episodes, promoting the upcoming “Wow Your Donors” masterclass, and teasing future content on fundraising habits. Rob thanks listeners for their support and wishes them continued fundraising success.
Further Resources
Fundraising Bright Spots – Episode 184 – Major Gift Fundraising: Success Secrets with Debbie Johnson
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Inspire your team with Bright Spot Training for your Team
If you find these podcasts, Rob’s Breakfast Clubs or blogs helpful, imagine the difference it would make if your whole team spent a day learning Bright Spot fundraising techniques. We’re immensely proud of the way these bespoke team training days boost your team’s skill, mojo and results. To find out more, or request a chat to think it through, here’s the link: Team Training.
Want to transform your Corporate Partnerships or Major Donor fundraising?
To learn tried and tested techniques for growing corporate partnerships income, and get help in implementing them, check out our ever popular Corporate Partnerships Mastery Programme.
Or to grow your skills, confidence and results in Major Donor or Trusts fundraising, check out our flagship Major Gifts Mastery Programme, now in its eleventh year.
