Q&A: Major Donors’ Voices – Busting the Myths

This Major Donors’ Voices webinar, drew more than 1,800 registrations, and far more questions than we could answer live.

So, we brought fundraising consultants Louise Morris of Summit Fundraising and Davinia Batley of Champion Fundraising back, hosted by Ian Tate, to tackle the ones that came up most. From defining a major gift to making the ask, stewardship on a stretched budget and the rise of donor advised funds — here are their practical, myth-busting answers.

Major Donors’ Voices – Busting the Myths

Most fundraisers carry a mental picture of the major donor: wealthy, probably male, probably drawn to prestigious events. That picture shapes strategy and according to fundraising specialists Davinia Batley and Louise Morris, it’s usually wrong.

Drawing on more than 150 interviews with philanthropists and major donors, Davinia and Louise recently delivered a webinar that challenged seven of the most persistent assumptions in the sector. Over 1,700 fundraisers registered to hear it. Here’s the webinar recording and the insights that matter most.

What Companies Want from Charity Partnerships

In this webinar, fundraising expert Andy King and Chris Pitt explained what makes charity partnerships work.

The webinar highlights that the strongest partnerships are built when charities understand what a company is trying to achieve and shape the relationship around that. In return for their support, companies are usually looking for clear impact, opportunities to engage their people, and ways to communicate the partnership externally.

The List Two Years On – Insights for Trusts & Foundations Fundraising

Jo Jeffrey, the fundraising consultant behind The List, has catalogued every pause, restructure, early closure and spend-out across UK trusts and foundations since 2024. In this webinar, she shares what the data is telling us, what it means for your portfolio, and seven practical principles for fundraising with more confidence in a harder landscape.

Charity Risk + Insurance Outlook 2026

Access Insurance presents the key risks for charities and insurance market changes to look out for in 2026.​

Charity founders: stronger together

In a recent Benefact Group webinar, two founders – one from the charity sector, one from business – sat down to talk about the things that rarely make it into conference slides or annual reports. What emerged was honest, practical, and quietly powerful.

Storytelling: How to attract and nurture donors

We all love a good story! And our ability to tell compelling, powerful and engaging stories is arguably one of the most valuable tools in our fundraising armoury.

How to secure corporate funding and partnerships

Companies in the UK give roughly £2 billion to the charity sector a year – but they also give much more than money. They lend skills, social media channels and can even help solve the problems you exist to tackle.

Trusts and Foundations: How to write a winning application

Discover top tips on Trusts and Foundations fundraising in this insightful webinar with Layla Moosavi Rivers, a fundraising trainer, consultant and mentor with over 25 years of experience across the charitable sector and the arts. Layla is joined by Chris Pitt, Group Impact Director, Benefact Group and Helen Gray, Trust Director, Benefact Trust providing their insights from a funder’s perspective.

Maximising success: What’s hot in fundraising right now

Fundraising is a dynamic landscape. Keeping abreast of new trends and strategies is crucial for maximising impact. Our speakers share useful data, provide a picture of the current and emerging landscape and provide pointers on what to keep an eye on in the short to medium term.