We brought together charity leaders and experts Zoe Amar and Caroline Fiennes to talk about what is working in fundraising and what small charities and nonprofits can do to set themselves up for success in 2026. Here are five practical takeaways from the conversation.
1. Keep your information about funders clear and easy to find, and ensure that people in your organisation read it and use it.
Caroline shared several examples where a charity’s point-person for a major donor had left or moved roles, and there was no / inadequate hand-over: sometimes the new person didn’t know anything about the relationship or history at all. That can cause relationships to fail.
Try this: Start with your CRM or donor management, or even a shared spreadsheet. Track grant history, deadlines, key contacts, the donor’s preferences, e.g., about types of event, and their requirements e.g., about anonymity. Keep also notes from every interaction so nothing gets lost during staff transitions or busy moments.
2. Make it simple for funders to contact you.
Caroline highlighted that small steps like missing contact details or not having an out-of-office can cause funder messages to slip through the cracks. Charities sometimes lose tens of thousands of pounds in potential funding because funder messages go unanswered or get missed.
Try this: List a clear contact on your website, set an out-of-office when you are away, and choose one team inbox or person to check enquiries daily.
3. Improve one thing at a time.
Zoe explained that small charities are naturally entrepreneurial and adaptable. You do not need a full digital overhaul to make progress.
Try this: Pick one process that slows your team down such as impact collection, reporting, or event admin and make one small improvement. Test it, learn from it, and adjust without large commitments.
4. Let AI do the heavy lifting on admin.
Zoe shared examples of charities using AI to clarify next steps, clean up data formats, or draft internal guidance. The goal is not to replace staff, but to simplify work.
Try this: Choose one recurring task where you often think, “I wish someone could walk me through this.” Ask an AI tool to help produce a first draft or step-by-step instructions.
5. Keep your key information in one shared place.
Zoe described how Climate Barometer strengthened its work by moving scattered files into a simple, shared space the whole team could access.
Try this: Choose one central location such as a shared folder, a spreadsheet, or a basic CRM and store contacts, partner lists, grant notes, and media details there. Make sure everyone knows where to find it.
Protect the relationships that fund your work
All five of these tips share the same purpose. They help you gain and protect the relationships that matter, save time, and to be more effective in the way you work.
And as Zoe and Caroline reminded us, small charities already have the creativity and resilience they need. You do not need to overhaul everything. Thoughtful steps can strengthen your mission and the donor relationships that carry it forward. Human connection is at the heart of all fundraising—even more so in the age of AI. And small charities understand relationships better than anyone.
Zeffy is a fee-free fundraising and donor management platform built for nonprofits and charities in the US, Canada, and the UK. Our goal is simple. Keep your fundraising easy and zero-fee so you can spend more time on your mission and keep every pound working for your community.
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