Summer Recharge: Permission to Rest and How to Set Yourself Up for a Busy Autumn
August in trust fundraising can feel strange. The pace slows. Funders are quieter. Responses take longer. The inbox, for once, isn't overflowing.
And for many trust fundraisers - people who are used to being busy, who measure their worth by what they're producing - that quiet can feel really uncomfortable. Like we should be doing more. Like slowing down is somehow letting the side down.
So, I want to start this blog with something I genuinely believe:
You have permission to rest.
Not just because you've earned it - though you absolutely have - but because rest makes you better at this work. More creative. More resilient. More able to think clearly about your pipeline, your relationships and your strategy when September arrives. The work will still be there when you get back. But you'll face it so much better after a proper break.
The mum guilt and the work guilt
When my daughter was little, Augusts were hard. Working from home wasn't really a thing back then - so it was about making sure she was looked after, usually with her Nan (God bless mothers-in-law!), while I tried to get things done. The mum guilt was real. The constant juggle between her needs, my need for rest and the demands of work felt relentless.
What helped was giving myself permission to be realistic. Not trying to do everything. Making sure I was carving out proper time for her, time as a family and time for myself - alongside whatever work genuinely needed to happen.
My daughter is heading into her GCSE year this September. So, this summer feels particularly precious. I want to make sure she has the right balance of revision time and something to look forward to. And I want to make sure I'm present for that - not half distracted by my laptop.
If any of this sounds familiar then please be kind to yourself. You are doing enough.
Work with your natural rhythm, not against it
Here's something that makes a real difference for me at any time of year, but especially in the summer: work with your natural rhythm rather than against it.
For me, mornings are when I'm at my sharpest. That's when I do my best thinking, my most focused work, my most creative problem solving. So, in August, I protect my mornings for the work that matters most and I give myself permission to be gentler with myself in the afternoons – usually when it’s hottest!
Think about when you're naturally at your peak energy. And use those times intentionally - even if it's just an hour or two. Block that time out in your calendar. Treat it like a meeting you can't move.
And block out time off too. If you can't take larger chunks of holiday - can you at least book an afternoon here and there to enjoy the summer? A walk. A lunch that isn't at your desk. Something that reminds you that you're a person, not just a fundraiser.
A realistic August to-do list for trust fundraisers
I'm a naturally very organised person (maybe annoyingly so!) but I know that doesn't come easily to everyone. And even for those of us who love a list, August is not the time for an overwhelming one.
So, here's my suggestion. Rather than a long list of everything you could do in August, pick a small number of things that would genuinely make September easier. Things like:
Spend an hour reviewing your pipeline. What's coming up in autumn? Are there large applications you need to prepare for? Do you have everything you need to be ready?
Book a meeting with your service delivery team to check on project progress before the next report is due. August is actually a good time for this as people are often slightly more available and less pressured.
Research three new prospects. Not to apply immediately but just to get them on your radar and start thinking about how you might approach them.
Reach out to five funders to start warming those relationships. A brief, friendly email. A response to something they've posted on social media. A note to say you're thinking of applying in the autumn and would welcome a brief conversation.
None of those things take a full day. But done across August - in the pockets of time between holidays and school runs and sunny afternoons - they add up to a September that feels manageable rather than overwhelming.
What about if August isn't quieter for you?
I know August isn't quiet for everyone. Some organisations have autumn deadlines that mean August is actually one of the busiest months of the year. Some fundraisers are covering for colleagues on holiday. Some are dealing with the particular challenge of the school holidays - whether that's childcare or simply the mental load of juggling work and home in a way that doesn't feel sustainable.
If that's you, I see you. And the permission to rest still applies, even if it looks different. Even if it's an afternoon off rather than a week away. Even if it's closing the laptop at 5pm and not opening it again until morning. Even if it's simply being a little gentler with yourself about what you can realistically achieve right now.
Small moments of rest are still rest. They still count.
How to set your trust pipeline up for September
September in trust fundraising always feels, to me, like a fresh start. The back-to-school energy is real - new stationery, new plans, new momentum. And the autumn is traditionally one of the busiest periods for trust deadlines.
So, use August - however it looks for you - to prepare for that.
Review your pipeline. Pre-prepare what you can. Have the conversations that will make your applications stronger. Build the relationships that will warm your prospects.
And rest. Properly, guilt-freely, intentionally.
Because the best version of you - the most creative, most strategic, most resilient trust fundraiser you can be - comes after a proper rest.
Getting ready for the autumn
Trusts 101 is our free guide to the fundamentals of trust fundraising: finding the right funders, understanding what they will and will not pay for, and writing an application that answers the question they actually asked. If you are using August to prepare, download it and work through it when you have an hour.