Corporate Fundraising in 2026: The Reality Behind the Partnerships

What does corporate fundraising really look like as we head into 2026? In this LinkedIn Live, Simon Scriver, Co-founder of Fundraising Everywhere, is joined by Rachel Holborow to unpack the findings from her latest research into corporate partnerships - and to get honest about what’s working, what’s not, and what fundraisers are actually facing on the ground. Together, they’ll explore: - The realities behind modern corporate partnerships (beyond the glossy case studies) - What charities and fundraisers need to be prepared for over the next 12–24 months - How expectations, capacity, and power dynamics are shaping partnerships What this research means for fundraisers trying to secure, grow, or sustain corporate income Read Rachel’s full research report Go deeper at our Corporate Partnerships Conference 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.

What's the secret to turning one-time corporate donors into long-term partners? According to Saramine Mukute, it's simpler than you think: remember that companies aren't logos; they're people. In this episode of The Fundraising Everywhere podcast, guest host Andy King, Director of Fireside Fundraising sits down with corporate stewardship expert Saramine Mukute to explore what it really takes to build lasting relationships with corporate partners. From small family-owned businesses to global corporations, Saramine shares hard-won lessons from across her career about the power of genuine human connection in fundraising. In this episode, you'll discover: - Why you should focus on the people who make the company, not just the people who make the decisions - How to move corporate donors from transactional giving to multi-year partnerships (including how one partnership extended from 5 to 8 years) - The art of sharing impact in ways that genuinely resonate- from project visits to annual impact evenings - What questions to ask before you land your first corporate partner - Simple everyday actions that make a massive difference - How to navigate transitions when key contacts leave or new leaders come in Whether you're just starting your corporate partnerships journey or looking to deepen existing relationships, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and real-world examples that you can apply immediately. Join Fireside Fundraising for their Ignite: the Corporate Fundraising skills series Want to continue your learning? Join Andy King and other brilliant speakers at our Corporate Partnerships Conference on the 26th March 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.  

What if the biggest barrier to event fundraising success isn't budget, marketing, or even donor fatigue- but a lack of leadership buy-in within your own organisation? In this episode, Simon Scriver sits down with Pascale Harvie, President of JustGiving, to unpack their 2026 Event Fundraising Snapshot report and reveal what's really driving results in the sector. Despite cost-of-living pressures across the UK, event fundraising raised over £235 million on JustGiving alone in 2025—a 6% year-on-year increase. But the data reveals a surprising truth: 71% of charities that exceeded their event fundraising targets had one thing in common; leadership teams that made events a key priority. Pascale shares the standout case study of Endometriosis UK, a small team that doubled their event income to £250K by starting small, tracking demand, and proving results to leadership. Their secret? Focus, efficiency, and making fundraisers feel valued- not a massive budget or team. In this episode, you'll discover: - Why 71% of successful charities prioritise event fundraising at the leadership level - The gap between belief and resourcing: 78% say events are essential, but only 28% feel properly resourced - How running events (especially 10Ks and half marathons) are driving the fastest growth - The biggest challenges facing charities: cost-of-living pressures, rising event costs, and staff burnout - Why 1 million fundraising pages and 18 million donations prove the public's commitment hasn't disappeared - Pascale's advice on making the internal case for event fundraising investment - What's next for JustGiving, including exciting AI developments on the horizon Check out JustGiving 2026 Events Fundraising Snapshot 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.    

It's Payroll Giving Month, and we're diving deep into one of fundraising's most overlooked opportunities. Host Simon Scriver welcomes back Mevi Slade from Cancer Research UK and Ollie Lashbrook from Macmillan Cancer Support—both linvolved with the CIOF Payroll Giving Special Interest Group, to explore why this tax-efficient giving method deserves more attention. In this episode, you'll discover: - What payroll giving is and how it works (spoiler: it's simpler than you think!) - Why 59% of people have never heard of this scheme—and why that's actually good news - How to overcome the "it's too laborious" objection from employers - The role of Professional Fundraising Organisations (PFOs) in donor recruitment - Why running payroll giving internally gives you the perfect case study for corporate partners - How to position payroll giving as an employee benefit, not just another admin task - Why this income stream works for charities of all sizes—not just the big players Whether you're in corporate partnerships, individual giving, or just curious about untapped fundraising opportunities, this episode reveals why payroll giving might be the most underutilised tool in your fundraising toolkit. Connect with the guests: Mervi Slade: Linkedin Ollie Lashbrook: Linkedin LinkedIn: Search "Payroll Giving" group Website: payrollgivingmonth.com 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.  

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.  

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 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.  

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.

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.

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.

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.