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One of the many great things about the charity sector, both in the UK and elsewhere, is how willing people are to share what they’ve learned.

As well, of course, as the more ‘official’ resources from organisations, groups, associations, and charity media, there are all sorts of other useful and inspiring resources offered by people in the sector that you might not be quite so familiar with.

Here are a few that have caught our eye:

January saw the launch of a podcast by ChangeStar’s Richard Docwra. Making the World Better is fortnightly and sees Richard talk to people who are making the world better, exploring what they do, the issues they’re working on and why they matter, with each episode having a different guest. The first few shows have some brilliant people including CEOs of leading charities, political advisors, academics, fundraisers – and people who are working to help others in their local communities.

Another useful podcast is Four Minutes in Fundraising. This is hosted by CEO of Money4Youth Amicky Carol (Carol Akiwumi) and promises to make the principles and techniques of fundraising, such as digital marketing and fundraising, more accessible to everyone in these bite-size chunks.

Simon Scriver’s Amazingly Ultimate Fundraising Superstar Podcast is a popular one. In it, Simon, from Toast Fundraising, gets the lowdown on various issues and areas from experts in the field, offers quick tips on everything from how to get a speaking gig at a non-profit conference to making the most out of Giving Tuesday, and reviews the latest fundraising news.

The Do More Good podcast is recorded in pubs around London and beyond, and delves in to a variety of topics and interviews with people from across the spectrum, covering hot topics such as leadership, innovation, fundraising, current affairs and first-world problems over a pint or two.

Cracking Charity Chat from Beth Crackles is for those in the sector who want who want to hear from senior colleagues across the sector with each podcast giving examples of how things have worked in practice, demonstrating how good leaders approach the given subject area, and providing tips that people can apply in their own organisation. Beth’s most recent guest was Matthew Sherrington, a strategy and communications expert (Inspiring Action) chatting about his time at Oxfam, and Greenpeace USA, aligning strategy, comms, fundraising and campaigning and other big topics.

For something completely off the wall, try Four Fundraisers Talk **** – a written podcast that once a week sees good friends (and fundraising experts) Beate Sørum, Simon Scriver, Jen Love and John Lepp sit down on opposite sides of the Atlantic and chat about something reasonably fundraising related – such as Giving Tuesday, branding, and sexual harassment in the sector, which they then share. Check out the episode guide here, and it also has a helpful ‘What did I just read?’ section that explains the concept.

Over on Facebook, Fundraising Chat is an excellent group where those working in the sector can ask any question they like – from how to write a funding proposal, to what to do with too many charity places for an event, and what contactless or CRM solutions people recommend. It’s a hugely supportive forum that sees people give very generously of their time and expertise to help others.

There are also some great events. Pizza for Losers is ‘the failure inspired learning event for the charity sector’. Founded in 2019 by ‘Charity Nikki’  (Nikki Bell) to answer the need for honest and open conversations around failure, it offers a mailing list for regular failure survival tips, a really interesting podcast and occasional events – including pizza. Two are currently scheduled for June in the UK, taking place in Sheffield and London.

Fundraising Everywhere is the incredibly useful (and practical) virtual conference created to bring quality, affordable fundraising training to fundraisers across the world and hosted by Nikki Bell and Simon Scriver with a great variety of speakers, You can join from wherever you are, speakers are from around the world and subtitles are available in English, Spanish and Chinese, and all conference session are available after the event so people can also catch up in their own time. As well as two annual conferences, there are monthly webinars, and virtual support. The next events are the Fundraising Everywhere Festival in May, and Fundraising Everywhere Conference in November.

And finally, SOFII’s I Wish I’d Thought of That (IWITOT) has been running annually since 2012, and the 2020 event takes place in London on 21 April. It celebrates fundraising greatness and innovation and sees fundraising specialists present an idea that they feel changed the face of the sector, that’s replicable, and that everyone can learn from. Crucially, the idea cannot be their own, and at the end of the night, the audience votes to pick the winning presentation and idea. 2019’s event saw 18 fundraisers present the campaign they wish they’d thought of, with British Red Cross’s Camille St Omer Donaldson winning for her presentation on the Bloody Good Period campaign.

There are no doubt many more we haven’t yet come across, so do let us know if any of your favourites aren’t on the list!

It’s been a busy couple of weeks with a flurry of activity from charities wanting to ensure that their Legators are properly recognised through the median of an Online Book, as well as organisations commissioning individual books for various members of staff.

The first of these requests came from Hong Kong where sadly a partner in an international firm of accountants had died. In part due to the Coronavirus outbreak preventing people from meeting up, they felt an Online Book would be an ideal way for colleagues all over the world to add their comments and tributes, rather than trying to organise an actual card.

Next up was a call from the Marriott Hotel Group, who wanted to create an Online Book for a colleague moving on to pastures new. Once again, with messages pouring in from colleagues around the world, it has proved the perfect way to bring them all together. As someone there said: ‘How else could we get such engagement?’ Previously, they had had to resort to ‘scribblings’ on Post-it notes attached to a card.

Last week the Harry Gregg Foundation was also in touch with a request for us to create an Online Book of Condolence for him.  As some of you may well recall, former Manchester United goalkeeper Harry Gregg was also a hero of the dreadful Munich air crash of February 6 1958 that decimated the famous ‘Busby Babes’ and saw 23 people killed. Harry passed away on 16 February at the age of 87, and we helped the Foundation launch this book after his funeral. It’s filling up with some truly wonderful stories and is a lovely tribute to a very special man.

Of course, as well as providing a place where people can come together to share their memories regardless of their location, our books can also include donation links direct to a charity, providing a valuable opportunity and prompt for anyone who wishes to donate to do so.

Coming soon too is the new version of our platform, which will enable charities and other organisations to offer individuals the opportunity to set up their own book, adaptable for a wide variety of purposes including remembering pets, and recording celebrations and travels. These will also offer a fundraising opportunity. It really is very exciting, so watch this space for more details!

Guy’s and St Thomas’ rank among the oldest and best-known teaching hospitals. They have withstood the Black Death, the plague, Wars of the Roses, the Great Fire of London and the Blitz.

Today, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s busiest and most successful foundation trusts, with a long history of clinical excellence and high-quality patient care.

The hospitals provide a full range of services for the local community in Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham. They also provide specialist services for patients from further afield, including in the areas of cancer, cardiovascular, women’s and children’s services, kidney care and orthopaedics.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity supports the hospital by funding specialist equipment, life-changing research and the small changes that are above and beyond what the NHS can provide. Donations help to make a big difference in the lives of our patients.

Legacy and in memory gifts are integral to funding improvements for our hospitals and it’s important that we show our gratitude for these very special donations. With this in mind we created a remembrance book to celebrate our legacy and in memory supporters. By giving something back we are also able to create a lasting connection with our donors.

Emma Simpson – Legacy and In Memory Fundraiser at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity

With legacy giving such a vital income source for so many charities, it was interesting to read of the link between giving in memory, and legacy pledges late last month.

Research carried out by Legacy Foresight, analysts of the legacy and in-memoriam sectors, revealed that remembrance is an important motivation for leaving a legacy, with supporters who had a known in-memory connection to a charity three times more likely to pledge a legacy to it. They were also twice as likely to be legacy prospects than standard regular donors giving via direct debit or standing order.

Remembrance also had an impact on how much people bequeathed. Residuary legacies (a gift given out of an estate once all debts, taxes and specific legacies have been paid) from those with a known in-memory connection were two-thirds greater in value, when compared with those left by supporters with no known in-memory connection, while pecuniary legacies (the gift of a specified amount) were double the size.

Legacy Foresight’s research showed that many people are leaving in-memory gifts in their wills too, with two in five legacy donors including at least one. Three out of five of these in-memory legacies had been preceded by a previous in-memory gift, with donations often made at or after a funeral.

Most were left in remembrance of parents, partners and in-laws, as well as friends, with three-quarters of in-memory legacies going to health-related charities.

The figures emphasise the importance of good donor stewardship during that long journey from giving in-memory or making a legacy pledge. And in fact, an earlier March 2019 survey by Legacy Foresight among its charity consortium members showed that 84% expected to be investing more in legacy stewardship over the next five years with 46% feeling it hadn’t yet become a big enough priority in their organisation.

The findings also included some tips on legacy stewardship, finding the best activities to be those that show the impact of their gift, while conveying magic, and surprising and delighting supporters. Many of the charities it questioned said they offered legacy supporters special ‘behind the scenes’ access with everything from invites to new ward openings at Great Ormond Street Hospital, to walks with a Guide Dog puppy.

It’s certainly food for thought, and for further reading, Legacy Foresight’s reports can be downloaded from its site.