What key skills do charity professionals need to stay relevant and effective? What have you learned from working with podcast guests? Should charity professionals have communications training as part of their onboarding process?
In this final episode, the tables are turned and Zac gets interviewed by Rebecca Dallimore. Rebecca was the Chair of Trustees for the Charity Professional Development Company and is the Corporate Liaison Officer with SEED Madagascar.
You can find out more about Rebecca on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccadallimore/
And you can stay in touch with Zac on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/
// REFLECTION
A request that you continue to try to contribute more to your cause.
// RESOURCES
Rapoport's Rules https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Rapoport%27s_Rules
Organisations that support charities:
Charity Learning Consortium https://charitylearning.org/
CharityConnect https://www.charityconnect.co.uk/
Cornerstone Foundation https://www.cornerstoneondemand.org/
Cranfield Trust https://www.cranfieldtrust.org/
Directory of Social Change https://www.dsc.org.uk/
Ethical Angel https://www.ethicalangel.com/
The Fore https://thefore.org/
Getting on Board https://www.gettingonboard.org/
Matchable https://wearematchable.com/
Media Trust https://mediatrust.org/
Philanthropy University https://www.philanthropyu.org/
Pilotlight https://www.pilotlight.org.uk/
Rogare https://www.rogare.net/
TrustLaw https://www.trust.org/trustlaw/
The Whole Story https://www.thewholestory.org.uk/
Journals focusing on the charity sector:
Nonprofit Management & Leadership https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal/15427854/homepage/productinformation.html
Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly https://journals.sagepub.com/home/nvs
Journal of Philanthropy and Marketing https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/26911361
Philanthropy & Education https://muse.jhu.edu/journal/833
VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations https://www.springer.com/journal/11266
Voluntary Sector Review https://bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journals/vsr/vsr-overview.xml?tab_body=latest-issue
// CHAPTERS
(0:00) Intro
(1:40) Why is the Contribute More podcast ending?
(3:50) What key skills do charity professionals need to stay relevant and effective?
(5:27) How can charity professionals stay on top of growing their skillset with limited time and skills?
(9:07) What have you learned from working with podcast guests?
(12:07) Were all of your guests addressing the barriers of time and money?
(13:36) Is there anything you want to explore further following hosting the podcast?
(16:41) Should charity professionals have communications training as part of their onboarding process?
(19:10) Should charity professionals be asking for professional development to be written into employment contracts?
(30:10) Zac gets on his soapbox about unrestricted funding
(23:26) Outro
(25:03) Reflection
How can co-creation lead to more successful projects? How do you avoid being tokenistic? How do you check your ego? When should you not co-create?
In this episode, you’ll hear from Madi Pollard-Shore, a Business Analyst at Girlguiding and a charity consultant.
You can find out more about Madi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madison-pollard-shore/
Or her website, Kalechi Consulting: https://www.kalechiconsulting.co.uk/
Contribute More is hosted by Zac Parsons. Find out more about him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/
// REFLECTION
Have a conversation with a colleague about the extent to which you currently co-create with your service users. Could your work benefit from co-creation? What small projects do you have in the pipeline that could pilot co-creation?
// RESOURCES
Girlguiding: https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/
// CHAPTERS
(0:00) Intro
(1:00) What is co-creation and inclusivity in decision-making?
(2:02) How does co-creation inclusivity help us contribute more to our cause?
(5:58) What are the alternatives to co-creation and why are they problematic?
(8:45) How do I deliver a co-creation project?
(11:45) Why recording learning is good, but using that learning is better
(14:08) How do you avoid being tokenistic in co-creation projects? How do you select a representative sample?
(18:32) Dealing with service users telling you your service isn’t good enough
(22:09) What types of projects aren’t appropriate for co-creation?
(30:10) Key takeaways
(27:54) Outro
(28:27) Reflection
How do you genuinely involve the community in project design, implementation, and monitoring? How do you avoid courtesy bias in needs assessments? How do you balance short-term needs with longer-term prosperity?
In this episode, you’ll hear from Olivia Barker White, a Co-Founder and the CEO of Kids Club Kampala.
You can find out more about Olivia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-barker-white-06102a17/
Or by following her on X: https://twitter.com/oliviambarker
Contribute More is hosted by Zac Parsons. Find out more about him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/
// REFLECTION
Have a conversation with a colleague about how you involve key stakeholders. Do you think there are ways you could involve them more? Challenge yourself to consider whether you’re holding onto things you shouldn’t be because of ego or low expectations of your stakeholders.
// RESOURCES
Kids Club Kampala: https://www.kidsclubkampala.org/
For a summary of their independent evaluation: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/513cc55f82.html
Four phases of project management: https://hbr.org/2016/11/the-four-phases-of-project-management
// CHAPTERS
(0:00) Intro
(2:13) Why is a community-led approach important for Kids’ Club Kampala
(6:54) Importance of understanding the problem
(10:21) An overview of Kids’ Club Kampala’s approach to community-led development
(14:04) Balancing short- and long-term needs
(16:41) Solving for courtesy bias when performing needs assessments in international development
(19:54) Being community-led during the implementation of projects
(25:27) How to start being (more) community-led in your charity
(28:54) Outro
(30:10) Reflection
What makes a good charity shop location? Why should you never say that you don’t have competitors? How can you make better decisions? Why shouldn’t we dismiss the tools of the private sector?
In this episode, you’ll hear from Caroline Glackin, a Professor of Entrepreneurship at Broadwell College of Business and Economics.
This conversation was based on a paper by Caroline and Burcu Adivar titled: Improving Location Decisions For Charity Retailers: Applying Operations Research and Customer Discovery
The paper is available here: https://doi.org/10.1177/08997640221146934
You can find out more about Caroline on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolineglackin/
Or on her university’s faculty page: https://www.uncfsu.edu/academics/colleges-schools-and-departments/broadwell-college-of-business-and-economics/faculty-and-staff
Contribute More is hosted by Zac Parsons. Find out more about him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/
// REFLECTION
Have a conversation with a colleague about how your organisation approaches decision-making. Do you ever discuss how you’ll make a decision? Do you consider which criteria are and aren’t relevant to the decision? Do you regularly identify and weigh up trade-offs?
// RESOURCES
Habitat for Humanity ReStores: https://www.habitat.org/restores
Business model canvas: https://www.strategyzer.com/library/the-business-model-canvas
Mission model canvas: https://www.strategyzer.com/library/the-mission-model-canvas-an-adapted-business-model-canvas-for-mission-driven-organizations
// CHAPTERS
(0:00) Intro
(2:13) Why does the framework use a business model and analytical approach?
(6:30) Applying the business model canvas in a charity context
(11:44) Centre of gravity analysis for choosing shop locations
(13:19) Location of donors
(16:59) Location of staff and volunteers
(19:39) Location of customers
(22:26) Location of competitors and direct vs indirect competitors
(27:13) Choosing a location from a series of options using multi-criteria decision-making
(34:07) Key takeaways
(41:02) Outro
(41:45) Reflection
Can risk management actively support achieving your objectives? Is it possible for risk management to feel less burdensome? What is objective-centred risk management?
In this episode, you'll hear from Sabrina Segal, a third-sector integrity, risk, and compliance advisor.
Find out more about Sabrina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smsegal/
Listen to Sabrina’s podcast, Tolerable Risk: https://open.spotify.com/show/65pY1B7VtpEYvtgQ1WXI3O?si=38571e5ce2dc4c0d
Contribute More is hosted by Zac Parsons. Find out more about him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/
// REFLECTION
Have a conversation with a colleague about how useful your current approach to risk management is, and whether objective-centred risk management might better suit your needs.
// RESOURCES
ISO 31000: https://www.iso.org/iso-31000-risk-management.html
To see Sabrina’s flower diagram: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6906894632501022721/
Tim Leech: https://riskoversightsolutions.com/
// CHAPTERS
(0:00) Intro
(1:43) Defining risk management
(3:31) Hazards vs Threats
(6:16) Why should I spend time on risk management?
(8:16) Using the flower to map objectives and risks
(10:15) Risk management as an integrated part of our charitable work
(11:42) Objective-centred risk management vs traditional risk management
(17:20) Likelihood and severity in traditional risk management vs objective-centred risk management
(23:27) How do I prioritise risk mitigation without scoring risks?
(29:54) Risk management tools don’t work if misused by managers (spoilers)
(31:16) Costing risks and integrating risk management into decision-making
(33:33) Ongoing risk management and objective certainty reporting
(40:11) Key takeaways
(45:00) Outro
(46:11) Reflection
How can you design an inclusive challenge? How do you balance fundraiser empowerment with ensuring accurate messaging? How do you foster a community around a fundraising challenge? In this episode, you'll hear from Sara Kilner, Partnership Fundraising Lead at Rape Crisis England & Wales. Find out more about Rape Crisis England & Wales: https://rapecrisis.org.uk/ You can find out more about your host, Zac Parsons, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/ // REFLECTION Grab a colleague and have a chat about what sort of fundraising challenge might align with your charity’s mission. And then think about whether there is an easy way to test it out. // CHAPTERS (0:00) Intro (0:28) About Rape Crisis England & Wales and Step Out in Solidarity (5:38) Considerations of setting up Step Out in Solidarity (8:48) Start small, start learning (10:34) Balancing fundraiser empowerment and accurate messaging (16:18) Raising awareness of a potentially triggering cause (20:44) Fostering a community around a fundraising challenge (25:28) Creating an inclusive fundraising challenge (29:36) Learning from delivering Step Out in Solidarity (34:28) Find out more about Rape Crisis England & Wales (35:15) Outro
What is leadership as a practice? How can you define the leadership practices in your organisation? How can day-to-day leadership practices be bundled? How do approaches to leadership differ with higher levels of role delineation?
In this episode, you'll hear from Carol Jacklin-Jarvis, a Senior Lecturer and former director of the Open University’s Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership. You are welcome to reach out to Carol about her work on carol.jacklin-jarvis@open.ac.uk
You can find out more about your host, Zac Parsons, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/
This conversation was based on a paper published by Carol Jacklin-Jarvis and James Rees called Fun, lifelong relationships, and a safer community: Understanding collective leadership practice in a grassroots association. It is available here: http://oro.open.ac.uk/78673/3/78673.pdf
// RESOURCES
Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership: https://www.open.ac.uk/centres/voluntary-sector-leadership/
CVSL's portal on OpenLearn: https://www.open.edu/openlearn/education-development/free-leadership-courses-the-voluntary-sector
// REFLECTION
Make a list of what you think the leadership practices are in your organisation. Discuss your list with a colleague. Do they agree? What would they add? What would they remove? Do any clear bundles of leadership emerge?
// CHAPTERS
(0:00) Intro
(0:37) What is meant by leadership as a practice?
(1:40) How does leadership as a practice differ from other leadership models?
(4:32) Creating bundles of leadership practices
(8:27) Can leadership as a practice be applied in organisations with stricter role delineation?
(14:09) How to define bundles of leadership practice in your organisation
(20:31) Do leadership practices change over time?
(24:49) How to effectively use management tools
(26:50) Free resources from the Open University’s Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership
(27:53) Looking at leadership through a different lens
(29:19) Find out more about Carol
(30:04) Outro
How does our enjoyment of giving to charity change in the short and long term? Does giving with others increase our enjoyment of giving and generosity? Could collaborative giving increase lifetime generosity? Should your charity invest in encouraging supporters to give collaboratively?
In this episode, you'll hear from Jason Proulx, a PhD student at Simon Fraser University.
You can find out more about Jason on the links below.
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=MuU4bcUAAAAJ
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jdproulx
This conversation was based on a research paper published by Jason Proulx, Lara Aknin, and Alixandra Barasch called Let’s give together: Can collaborative giving boost generosity? Available here: https://doi.org/10.1177/08997640221074699
You can find out more about your host, Zac Parsons, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/
//REFLECTION
Have a conversation with a colleague about whether you think the experience of giving to your charity is enjoyable. Do you think that encouraging collaborative giving is something you should explore?
//SUPPORT US
We are listener supported. To join those already supporting us, visit: https://chpd.co/contribute-to-us/
//CHAPTERS
(0:00) Intro
(0:54) What is collaborative giving?
(2:41) Why do we feel good when giving to charity?
(5:36) How does social psychology contribute to charitable giving?
(8:03) The balance of short-term joy and longer-term fulfilment in charitable giving
(11:13) Does giving collaboratively make people more or less generous?
(13:55) Jason Proulx’s experiments looking at collaborative giving’s impact on enjoyment and generosity
(17:38) Could collaborative giving increase lifetime generosity?
(18:59) Should your charity invest in encouraging collaborative giving?
(20:51) Find out more about Jason
(22:09) Jason’s future research
(23:21) Outro
How can I find time for learning? What are some simple learning methods I can fit into my daily routine? How can I embed a habit of learning?
In this episode, you'll hear from Annie Coulson, a learning & development professional and the Onboarding Coordinator with AND Digital.
You can find out more about Annie on her LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-c-172108133/
Thank you to the team at Matchable for connecting us to Annie. Find out more about their professional volunteering here: https://wearematchable.com/
You can find out more about your host, Zac Parsons, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/
//REFLECTION
Pick one method of learning discussed in the episode and try it out. Bonus points if you have a conversation with a colleague about which one you tried and how you found it.
//CHAPTERS
(0:00) Intro
(0:34) How can I find more time for learning?
(9:48) What is social learning?
(13:31) What is self-directed learning?
(16:42) What is collaborative learning?
(20:09) What is reflective practice?
(26:58) How can I make a habit of learning?
(30:00) Outro
How does a shared identity contribute to the Royal Opera House's legacy gifts? When do people start to think about giving a legacy gift? How does early adult personality formation influence legacy decisions? How should you talk to supporters about legacy giving?
In this episode, you'll hear from Marina Jones, the Deputy Development Director of English National Opera. You can find out more about Marina on the links below.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/meenamtj
Marina's website: https://marinajones.uk/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marina-jones-062459107/
This conversation was based on a research paper published by Marina and Claire Routley called “When I go my family will see my life in programmes”: Legacy giving and identity at the Royal Opera House. https://doi.org/10.1002/nvsm.1728
You can find out more about your host, Zac Parsons, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/
For resources, reflection, and the transcript, visit: https://contributemore.org/mj/
Chapters:
(0:00) Intro
(0:48) What is the Royal Opera House?
(2:14) What is legacy giving and how does the Royal Opera House approach legacy giving?
(5:31) Different approaches to legacy giving
(8:33) Autobiographical memory and legacy giving
(14:49) Nostalgia and reinforcing memories
(15:56) When do people make legacy gifts?
(19:11) Shared identity in legacy giving
(24:23) Oral histories of the Royal Opera House’s legacy givers
(28:16) How to talk about legacy giving with supporters
(35:01) How can charities develop a deeper connection with their supporters?
(37:02) Outro
What is the overhead cost ratio? Can focusing on overhead hurt the charity sector? What's the relationship between overhead and outcomes? Are there better ways to measure charity effectiveness? These questions are answered in this episode.
You'll hear from Hala Altamimi, an Assistant Professor at the University of Kansas. Hala's research focuses on efficiency and effectiveness in the public and nonprofit sectors.
Find out more about Hala:
On the University of Kansas website: https://spaa.ku.edu/people/hala-altamimi
On Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=c2QxxsAAAAAJ
You can find out more about your host, Zac Parsons, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/
For resources, reflection, and the transcript, visit: https://contributemore.org/ha/
Chapters:
(0:00) Intro
(0:35) What is the overhead coat ratio?
(4:24) What is the nonprofit starvation cycle?
(7:21) Why do we rely on the overhead cost ratio and is there a benefit to keeping overhead costs low?
(13:47) Can we spend as much as we want on overhead?
(15:06) Hala Altamimi’s research into the relationship between overhead and outcomes
(18:38) How much variance is there in optimal overhead spending?
(22:48) What metrics should we use instead of the overhead cost ratio?
(26:49) Should we be encouraging nonprofits and donors to agree on their own metrics of success?
(29:12) Outro
(30:46) Homework
What's involved in a charity rebrand? Why did Ripple Effect change their name from Send a Cow? How much does a charity rebrand cost? How did people respond to Ripple Effect's name change? Find out in this episode.
You'll hear from Joanna Brownbill, the Director of Communications and Marketing at Ripple Effect. To find out more about Ripple Effect's work, visit their website: https://rippleeffect.org/
You can find out more about your host, Zac Parsons, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/
For resources and the transcript, visit: https://contributemore.org/jb/
Chapters:
(0:00) Intro
(0:21) What does Ripple Effect do as a charity?
(1:47) Why did you want to change your name from Send a Cow?
(4:52) What made you take the plunge and change your name?
(5:41) What was the process of rebranding your charity?
(10:23) How did you choose the new name for your charity?
(12:54) How did people respond to your rebrand?
(15:01) What did you learn about people’s reactions to change?
(18:06) How did you balance proactive communication and giving people time to reflect?
(19:55) How much did it cost to rebrand your charity?
(22:42) The cost-benefit of rebranding
(24:07) A final thought
Lockdown and enforced working from home seemed to level us somehow – CEOs working from home in their comfy clothes, children and pets causing chaos in the background of online meetings, glimpses into people’s perfectly imperfect lives – leaders and those in positions of power suddenly didn’t seem so ‘other’. In this episode, we talk about how to get comfortable leading as your authentic self and bringing your whole self to work, using tools that will help you and the people you work with achieve more and enjoy yourselves along the way.
For resources and the transcript, visit: https://contributemore.org/vhf/
Vic is the Founder of Fair Development. She has almost 15 years of experience working within the small charity sector and is passionate about helping small charities access the appropriate and affordable support they need and deserve. Vic specialises in strategy, organisational development, systems thinking, and change and transition management. She loves supporting charity leaders to turn chaos into order!
To find out more about Vic’s work, visit: https://www.fairdevelopment.co.uk/
You can find out more about your host, Zac Parsons, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/
Reporting how much impact you have is a vital part of your charity’s work. How do you ensure you're collecting the right data? How do you get your team on board with data collection? How does impact reporting fit into your strategy? Find out in this episode.
For resources and the transcript, visit: https://contributemore.org/cp/
Chloe Parker has been working with charities and their data since 2015. She’s passionate about demystifying data and reporting and making it into something everyone can do rather than just ‘techy’ people. She has helped people in the charity sector go from being afraid of using tech to being confident in their reporting and data abilities. If your charity is moving away from spreadsheets to a new database or is having problems with your database, Chloe can help: https://www.coreinsightsuk.com/
You can find out more about your host, Zac Parsons, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/
Every charity in the UK has a board of trustees; but, what is a trustee? And how does someone become a trustee? These questions are answered in this episode.
For resources and the transcript, visit: https://contributemore.org/lw/
Leon Ward has been a trustee since he was 18. He has published a best practice guide on young trustees in partnership with the Charities Aid Foundation. More recently, he has been the Deputy Chair of Brook Young People - the largest sex and relationships charity for young people in the UK. Hear more from Leon here: https://twitter.com/LeonjWard
Getting on Board is a charity aiming to diversify who sits at the board table and leads charities. Find out more here: https://www.gettingonboard.org/
You can find out more about your host, Zac Parsons, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/
Non-profit organisations and startup companies have more in common than most would think. From constant fundraising to the never-ending quest for traction, non-profits and startups face similar obstacles on their journey to solve problems that are large enough to matter. Learn how collaborating to eliminate shared obstacles can benefit your non-profit organization, startup company, and ultimately, the world.
For resources and the transcript, visit: https://contributemore.org/cf/
Our guest, Chris Foltz, is a renowned startup advisor, social impact strategist, and a global Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Founder Institute. Foltz was named to the Institute for Real Growth’s prestigious ‘IRG100’, a cohort of the top 100 CMOs, change agents, and growth leaders in the world. You can find out more about Chris' work by visiting: https://responsible.com
You can find out more about your host, Zac Parsons, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/
Good governance can make a huge difference in what a charity can achieve. All too often, people think of it as legal duties and compliance – but it’s also about positive relationships, clarity of roles, and shared goals.
For resources and the transcript, visit: https://contributemore.org/rd/
Our guest, Ruth Dwight, is a strategy and governance consultant with 20 years’ experience in the charity sector, including director roles at Coram Family & Childcare and Young Citizens. Ruth is also a trustee and has an MSc in Voluntary Sector Management (Distinction) from City University. You can find out more about Ruth's work by visiting: https://www.ruthdwight.org/
You can find out more about your host, Zac Parsons, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/
Maintaining good bookkeeping is key to a charity’s ongoing success. From restricted and unrestricted income to Gift Aid, this episode gives a rundown of best-practice bookkeeping in a charity setting.
For resources and the transcript, visit: https://contributemore.org/np/
Natalie Pieri FCCA is a chartered certified accountant with 18 years’ experience in the accounting industry. She currently runs her own firm of local accountants in Medway and works closely with the Medway Foodbank and Rapport Housing & Care in a volunteer capacity. You can find out more about Natalie’s work here: https://www.aconnect.co.uk/
You can find out more about your host, Zac Parsons, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/
Having donor surveys in your fundraising arsenal is an effective way to connect with your supporters, measure your effectiveness in stewardship, and - ultimately - increase your income.
For resources and the transcript, visit: https://contributemore.org/rm/
Rosie has been a fundraiser for 10 years, working for multiple causes in both small and large charities. She is currently Head of Fundraising for the British Youth Council, and Chair of CIOF’s Sole Fundraisers Committee. She is also a certified life coach.
You can find out more about your host, Zac Parsons, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/
Hiring and managing charity volunteers might seem straightforward, but employment laws can be confusing and make things stressful. This quick-fire episode gives a round-up of the essentials of volunteer and employment law.
For resources and the transcript, visit: https://contributemore.org/jfh/
Jemma Fairclough-Haynes is CEO of the award-winning business Orchard Employment Law. With over a decade of experience in Employment Law and seven years as a business owner, Jemma has represented businesses of various sizes in employment tribunals across the UK in many different types of claims. To find out more about her work, visit: https://www.orchardemploymentlaw.co.uk/
You can find out more about your host, Zac Parsons, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zwparsons/
