When the pandemic hit, Kelly Taylor’s job changed overnight.
As Events and Partnerships Manager at the British Skin Foundation, Kelly was already experienced and fairly confident at public fundraising – events and working with communities. Then Covid arrived, in-person fundraising collapsed, and corporate partnerships became an important priority. Kelly’s role shifted with it, but her challenge was that she’d never worked in corporate partnerships before. “It was very daunting,” she told me.
Searching for a way to get the skills she needed, she joined Corporate Partnerships Mastery, signed up, and made good use of the strategies.
When it finished, Kelly wanted to keep access to the same positive atmosphere and access to Bright Spot techniques that she’d enjoyed through the programme, so she joined the approach Bright Spot Membership. That was five years ago – and she’s still a member today.
Five years later, what has kept Kelly coming back to Bright Spot? And how has it helped her fundraising?
A confident, capable fundraiser
Before she joined the programme, Kelly had found it wasn’t easy to approach major companies. “Knowledge is power,” she told me. “I didn’t previously have that knowledge.” The course, and the ongoing learning since, gave her the skills and the confidence to approach and negotiate with potential corporate partners. She has become much more skilful and confident at seeing things from the partners’ perspective, which has proved invaluable.
The result speaks for itself: in the last two years alone, Kelly’s corporate partnerships income has more than doubled.
Live access to experts, and to people who just get it
Kelly says she especially likes the live virtual sessions in the Membership. They’re scheduled in her diary, and they give her the chance to pick the brains of expert fundraising coaches in real time.
But it’s not only access to Bright Spot founder Rob Woods and the other trainers. It’s all the wonderful members too. “It’s also a chance to ask other fundraisers about their experience,” Kelly explained. “You’ve got the community there behind it… knowing people are dealing with similar problems to you makes it much easier to solve them.”
Showing up beyond her own lane – and a quarter of a million pounds to prove it
Kelly doesn’t just attend the sessions about corporate fundraising. She shows up for the ones on other topics too, such as legacies, individual giving, leadership and on major donor fundraising. She’s clear it pays off.
For example, these sessions and community conversations have helped her gain invaluable ideas and the confidence to build relationships with High Net Worth supporters. One of them has since become one of her charities’ most valuable major donors, donating a quarter of a million pounds.
“I don’t think I would have been able to do that without hearing the experience of other people in the club,” Kelly said.
More than the numbers
Kelly said one of her favourite things is not just the Bright Spot techniques, it’s how she feels after a live session in the club: energised and enthusiastic. This makes it easier to keep making the small changes that build effective fundraising results.
With corporate partnerships income doubled in the past two years, and with a major donor relationship she might never have built otherwise, Kelly’s story is a reminder that the membership’s value isn’t only in the bright spot fundraising techniques. It’s in the community, the regular stories shared and the solidarity of being part of a supportive group.
Curious about membership?
If you’d like access to the same resources and support that Kelly has found so helpful, find out more about Bright Spot Membership here.
Find this helpful? If so, please share it on, so we can help as many good causes as possible.
