When the Answer is No — How to Respond to a Rejection and Keep the Relationship Warm
A rejection letter can feel like the end of the road, but it doesn't have to be. This post looks at how to respond to a trust funding "no" with grace, when to ask for feedback, and how to keep the relationship warm for future applications.
The 7 Steps of Major Donor Fundraising: What Goes Wrong and How to Fix It
The 7 steps of major donor fundraising are widely known — but following them does not guarantee success. Beth Upton argues that charities struggle not because they misunderstand the steps, but because they have not put the organisational foundations in place first. Here is what to address before you start the sequence.
The Executive Summary: The Part of Your Trust Proposal That Does the Heavy Lifting
The executive summary is often treated as an introduction. In practice, it is the part of your proposal that a funder reads most carefully, and sometimes the only part they read at all. Get five specific things right, in the right order, and your proposal stands a much stronger chance of getting the attention it deserves.
Why Good Trust Applications Still Fail — and What to Do About It
Most trust applications that fail aren't bad ones. They're good applications with fixable problems. Stacey Teece unpacks the most common patterns she sees — from describing activities instead of impact to sending applications in volume rather than with precision — and explains what small adjustments actually move the needle.
Top 5 reflections – a year at Money Tree Fundraising
Hannah Shepherd marks her first year at Money Tree Fundraising with five honest reflections on what makes major donor fundraising succeed — from organisational culture to the fundamentals that never change.
You Know Your Stuff. So Why Does Trust Fundraising Still Feel Lonely Sometimes?
Trust fundraising is one of the most skilled, complex roles in the sector. It's also one of the loneliest. Stacey explores why that isolation happens — and what we can practically do about it.
Your Trust Pipeline Is Trying to Tell You Something — Are You Listening?
Your trust pipeline is more than a tracker of money in and money out. Stacey Teece explains how to read it as a map of your funder relationships — and what to do when it reveals that something needs to change.
Good news on Trust funding — but is it the whole story?
Positive headlines about trust funding growth are welcome — but they can mask very different realities for individual fundraisers. Stacey Teece looks at what the data actually means for your cause area, and why digging deeper into the numbers matters.
How to Improve Your Trust Success Rates
If your trust applications are not converting, adding more to the pile is not the answer. Stacey Teece sets out why a more strategic and relationship-led approach makes more difference than volume ever will — and what that looks like in practice.
From Daffodils to Donors: A Spring Reflection on Major Giving
What do daffodils have to do with major donor fundraising? More than you might think. Hannah Shepherd uses the rhythms of the garden to explore what a strong, intentional major donor programme looks like at every stage — from soil preparation to the long bloom.
When Compliance Feels Like Good Fundraising
Organisations with strong ethical foundations in their fundraising find that compliance feels less like a checklist and more like a confirmation. Stacey Teece reflects on delivering training about the 2025 Code — and what it reveals about the charities that are already doing this well.
Dancing for a Cause: What Zumba Taught Me About Major Donor Cultivation
The principles that make Zumba work turn out to apply remarkably well to major donor fundraising. Hannah Shepherd draws out the parallels — authentic connection, consistent rhythm, active listening, proper warm-ups, and patience with individual timelines.
How to Handle Rejection in Major Donor Fundraising
No in major donor fundraising is rarely the end of the conversation. Hannah Shepherd explores what rejection really means, how to stay curious about the reasons behind it, and how a refusal — handled well — can actually strengthen the relationship for next time.
Thanking Major Donors Like You Mean It: Beyond the Template
A thank-you letter that reads like a template tells donors they are not really known. Hannah Shepherd shares a simple approach to writing donor thanks that feel personal — and explains why the difference between a warm, specific letter and a formal acknowledgement is greater than most fundraisers realise.
How to Discover What Really Matters to Your Major Donors (Without Guesswork)
Understanding what drives your major donors is not about reading between the lines — it is about asking the right questions and creating the right conditions for an honest conversation. Hannah Shepherd explains how to do this in a way that feels natural rather than transactional.
Why Major Donor Fundraisers Should Love the Sunday Times Rich List
Major donor fundraisers often dismiss the Sunday Times Rich List as irrelevant, or misuse it as a direct prospect source. Hannah Shepherd explains what it is actually useful for — understanding wealth patterns and sectors — and how to use those insights to identify better prospects in your own networks.
The 2025 Code of Fundraising Practice: What It Means for Your Charity
Discover what the 2025 Code of Fundraising Practice means for your charity, with clear guidance, practical actions, and key changes fundraisers need to know.
Beyond the Application: Why Trust Fundraising Is Really About Relationships
Strong applications alone are no longer enough. The strongest trust fundraising programmes are built on genuine funder relationships — before, during, and long after any application. Stacey Teece explains what relationship-led trust fundraising actually looks like in practice.
How to Find and Approach the Right Trust Funders
A scattergun approach to trust fundraising wastes time and rarely works. Stacey Teece explains how to research, assess, and approach funders strategically — so you invest your energy where it is most likely to result in a grant.
How to Make Core Costs Fundable: The Reframing Approach
Funders often overlook operational costs because they do not connect emotionally with line items labelled 'overhead'. Stacey Teece explains how a shift in language and framing can make your essential costs genuinely fundable — and why this matters more than ever.