Event Fundraising in 2026: Leadership Buy-In, Data, and the Power of Community

*fundrazing everywhere!* *fundrazing everywhere!* Welcome to the Fundrazing Everywhere Podcast. You'll go to place for fundraising tips and inspiration. Love what you hear? Get more insights straight to your inbox. Subscribe to our email list for exclusive fundraising resources, early access to training, special discounts and more. Just head on over to fundrazing Everywhere.com/podcast to subscribe. Now, onto today's episode. Enjoy! Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of the Fundrazing Everywhere Podcast. My name is Simon Scriver. I am one of the co-founders of Fundrazing Everywhere. Delighted to be here with you again. And we are recovering at the moment from our events. Fundrazing Conference, which happened just a couple of weeks ago. Still unpacking some of that. Still chatting to some of our speakers. And one of the sessions in that we really unpacked the just giving report, the 2026 event fundraising snapshot, which we like to look at each year, to get a sense of what's happened over the previous year, and to see what trends and what's happening in the future. And I'm very fortunate indeed, because today on the podcast, we have a super special guest to bring this conversation on to the next level. It's only the president that just given it's Pascal Harvey. Hello Pascal. Thank you very much for joining us today. Hello Simon. It's a pleasure to be here. I always look forward to speaking with you. Do you really? I feel like you just say that, but I love catching up with you. And you have such a sense of what's going on in the sector, and you have so much experience behind you. But I always find you've just very kind of candid and straightforward. So I do enjoy chatting to you. And I'm looking forward to, if you don't mind, if I can throw some questions at you and look underneath the hood a little bit about this, just giving report on what you guys have planned. Yeah, absolutely. Would be very happy to share that. Pascal, maybe for people who aren't familiar with you, or maybe just know you know, could you maybe just tell us a little bit about your background, because you've been pretty active in various ways, very interesting ways over the last several years. What's your background? Several several years. That's probably generous in so far as it goes way back. Look, I've been working in the PDP space of fundraising for over 15 years now, and prior to that in the charity sector, in both large and small organizations, both in Australia and the UK, and prior to that very much in sales and sales corporate sort of area. But I've been in the not-for-profit space for a very, very long time. Absolutely love it. Absolutely love what we can bring back and help across that charity sector to keep growing and growing in strength and working with supporters and donors, etc. It's what drives me every day. And I love where you guys are bringing just giving. And really, I think I said this to you last year when we spoke, my career in fundraising, I've always been so impressed by just giving much you kind of give back to the community in terms of these reports, in terms of unpacking it, in terms of sharing the data. I always tell the story of one of the very first fundraising conferences I went to, and there was a speaker from just giving who was just sharing all of the data, like all the fails, all the wins, and everyone in the room learning. And for me, it was just such an incredible thing because that was not a space. I was used to where people were collaborative and sharing. And just given I've gone on to do so much with us. And I especially want to say thank you for the funding just giving give towards the digital learning grant, which has allowed so many people to access the fundraising every platform. So thank you again, Pascal. But I imagine in your several years, and I use that term broadly, I imagine you've seen lots of ups and downs in fundraising. I mean, we survived COVID. So I'm wondering how are things looking coming into 2026 in your opinion? I felt quite positive when we looked at this report at our conference. How are you feeling? Yeah, look, I think that it's really good news. And if we look at event fundraising, what's really encouraging is that the event fundraising space is proving resilient. It's not just holding steady, but it's growing. So, you know, I'm just giving alone fundraisers raised over 235 million last year organized sporting and fitness events, which is a 6% growth year on year. And that's despite the cost of living pressures across the UK. And I guess if we look at that, running continues to lead the way. So we, you know, we had a standout of over 139 million raised by run as in 2025. And people love it because it taps into the wider cultural shift towards fitness and wellbeing. And we're seeing especially strong momentum in half marathons and the 10Ks in particular. That faster sort of growth that we've seen in those events. And I guess what that tells us about people is that they continue to show up for causes that they care about. And events give them a really clear, accessible and motivating way to do that. And when charities focus on the right mix of events, the results really follow. It almost felt like after COVID people were like itching to get back out and do something. And it's interesting to see your data, especially emphasizing those running events and those 10Ks and how those challenges which are like, I suppose achievable for the masses achievable for majority people, but still a challenge like still work to do. And it seems to be like, that's the sweet spot. And it's been really encouraging that people are just so motivated to get back out there into these in person events and do things. Yeah. Was there anything that really surprised you in the data? I mean, was it more than then you felt like it was, I mean, was there a slow staffs like COVID or what really surprised you coming out of this? I think one of the most surprising findings in the snapshot was just how much event fundraising success is driven by what happens inside a charity. I think we all know it, but it was still for me a really surprising thing that came out of it. I mean, 71% of charities that exceeded event fundraising targets. So events were a key priority to their leadership team. I mean, that's a huge signal. So when leadership backs event fundraising, it changes everything. It unlocks budget time. And importantly, it gives teams the confidence to invest in the stewardship and planning that drives results. So I guess without leadership buying in most experience and passionate fundraising teams still struggle to reach their full potential. So the big takeaway for me was that if you want event fundraising to grow in 2026, make the internal case early. It's really about getting your leadership team on side and that can be the huge difference between simply supporting or running an event and truly growing it. There seems like almost a little bit of a misalignment because I mean, that's that you said. It's shared there about 71% saying that these events are key for sport or acquisition, but I also saw a statistic there about 28% only 28% feeling that they were properly resource. And, you know, we get that vibe from talking to our community. And in my experience as a fundraiser, I've seen that there is often this kind of like detached between the fundraisers on the ground and the fundraisers doing the work. And maybe that board or even CEO level who just really, what is it? They don't want to invest in it or they don't see the value of it. What do you think it is? Why do you think there is a disjoint there? Yeah, I think it, I mean, ultimately you need the fundraising teams also need to own it. So it's how do you take that leadership team on that? Like how do you take them on the on the road to explain to them to show them how it can make such a big difference. And we do see that when we look at one of in the report you'll see we had the end of me try to see you. Hey, there's a really good case study in there about how they had leadership buy in. I mean, I'd say when you're looking at leadership buy in it's my biggest advice is to start small. So you need to prove demand and you need to share results early and often. And we see this clearly in the data, you know, charities that can show tangible results even from a pilot event find it much easier to unlock leadership support. And that means setting a clear target so tracking donations and participation and then regularly reporting back on progress. And as I said, endometriotists are a brewed example of how a charity can build event success from the ground up winning leadership backing along the way. I mean, they started with just 10 places for London marathon London landmarks half marathon in 2022. And they found themselves with a waiting list of over 100 potential fundraisers that year and what they did internally was key, you know, they tracked demand they reported it clearly. and they shared it internally. So that visible data back demand meant that leadership could see both the appetite from supporters and the fundraising upside and it turned events from a hopeful investment into a proven growth lever which is what unlocked further resources and confidence. You know, today they've got over 40 places in the London Landmarks Half Marathon event alone. They've still got their waiting list but they're doing it in a way which is they're able to track the demand and they're able to report it clearly. I mean that case study in the report and we'll link to the report in the description of this podcast as well. That endometriosis UK case study. I mean that was amazing. Like a small team doubling their income to 250k and I think even case studies like that they're so useful aren't they for for other fundraisers, fundraisers like like us to bring them to our own boards and show them and sometimes sometimes that's the buy-in unit, isn't it? It's like there's someone on the outside showing it as opposed to you banging your head against the wall with the wall. Yeah. Yeah. I mean the secret wasn't doing more events for them. It was doing the right events well. So the lesson was clear, you know, don't need a massive team with budget to achieve impressive growth. You need focus, efficiency and a genuine commitment to making your fundraisers feel valued. I mean their approach showed that consistent communication, data-led testing and internal engagement can turn support a demand into measurable results. Seriously impressive. And I think that I mean that was a big theme at our conference from from all of the speakers, not just the ones from you're just giving it was very much talking about that intentionality about it, you know, events are not just this kind of ad hoc, you hope it goes well, you know, you see what turns up. It's like like you said, it's testing it, it's measuring it, it's fine tuning it over time, it's tweaking it. I think that's a really important message. Yeah. I mean you know, you talked about gaps before and I think, you know, there's a real disconnect between belief and resourcing. You know, on one hand, 78% of charities say event fundraising is essential. And 71% say it's key for supporter acquisition. However, only 28% feel they're properly resource to grow their events income. And we're actively seeing incredibly dedicated teams trying to do more with less and many are succeeding, but there's a clear divide among it like divide emerging. I mean, in practice, the gap looks like small teams are being expected to deliver too much and larger charities typically run 15 to 20 events each year with the support of dedicated events teams, where smaller charities are managing one to six events alongside multiple other responsibilities and work streams. So the gap shows up most clearly in smaller teams. People juggling multiple roles, running just a handful of events a year and simply trying to do more with less. So the intent and the opportunity are there, but the capacity and the resource often isn't. So I think what that shows as when you start talking about leadership and endometriotic example is that you really need to lean back on that data. I'm not sure I've ever heard the fundraising sector describe so succinctly as a gap between belief and resourcing. I think that kind of sums up every organization I've ever worked with as a gap between belief and resourcing. And I think like, I mean, there's lots of challenges out there at the moment. And I know just giving you dealing with a lot of different organizations and obviously hearing those challenges all the time and working with them. And I often suggest to people, do you know when they're questioning these things about events is actually pick up the phone and talk to the likes of just giving because you guys, you know, it's in your interest for these to work and you are very helpful. What kind of challenges are your users, your clients, your charities facing like what are the big things out there that are really holding us back between besides that resource in gap? Yeah, I mean, so I mean, the challenges are very real. The cost of living pressures comes through as the biggest issue. So I think it was cited by 68% of charities following followed by a rising event cost and staff burnout. But I guess when you look at across all of those top challenges, what I find most remarkable is that despite these pressures, we still see people who are turning up and fundraising and donating. I mean, last year was a record breaking year for giving with 1 million fundraising pages created and over 18 million donations made to UK charities through just giving. And that happened despite the pressures people are under. So, you know, that data tells us something really reassuring that the public commitment hasn't disappeared. People still want to support causes they care about, even in tough times. So the opportunity for charities right now is to meet that generosity with experiences that feel accessible, motivating and well supported. And events continue to do that exceptionally well. Yeah, very, very publicly and very obvious. And I think, you know, that idea of, you know, in times of trouble, look for the helpers. I think that there's an element of that. And I think like 1 million pages is unbelievable. It's so impressive. And I think it is heartening to dip into stories like Endometriosis UK, but really any random page you can look at and you can see a helper, you can see someone who believes in it and you can see followers who are given to it. And I find that really, really motivating. You know, it really reminds you why you're doing it. Are there any like stories or fundraisers that still have for you in the year? Obviously you've got the official case. Anything weird or quirky or something that really hit your paths this last year? You know, I think one fundraiser that has personally stuck with me for his love of running events is Lloyd Martin. And it's really for his love of running events. I love how excited he gets around running and the energy that he carries with him. Lloyd is a young man with Downs Syndrome. And that he he's used his story to amplify awareness and to raise over 20,000 pounds for a variety of charities who have supported him and his sporting dreams. And I think three dedicated support from his chosen charities and the public's love of his fundraising efforts. Lloyd has participated in several running events across the UK and even the New York City marathon. And in 24, the London marathon, a song saw Lloyd set the Guinness World Record as the youngest person with a learning disability to complete a marathon. It was an absolutely remarkable achievement. Lloyd is a legend. That's amazing. I wonder how many Guinness World Records have your have the just giving logo, you know, somewhere along the way? Like I feel like all these Guinness World Records, there's so many people who also turn them into fundraisers as well. Yeah, it's a really good it's a great question. I'm going to find that out for you. We can talk about that next time. Yeah, absolutely. We'll get Guinness on here as well if we're allowed to get more. I'm curious. I mean, obviously there's a bit of negativity in there, you know, around the cost of living, there's there's issues with kind of mistrust at the moment. And we see this staff burn out problem coming up all the time. I don't want to harp on about the negatives. What are what are the positives you're seeing? Like what are the opportunities you see coming up in the in maybe the next year? Yeah, I think there's a hell of a lot to be excited about. As we know, there's a fitness boom at the moment and 44% of charity surveyed see this increased interest as a real opportunity. So with fitness led events being the main growth engine for event fundraising income. I mean, you see it everywhere and a lot of charities are planning increased budget for multi charity events this year, which shows increased confidence in this model for income and supporter engagement. However, at the same time, AI and technology advancements also mean that fundraisers have an increased number of digital tools at their disposal like fitness apps, which in turn provides an improved participation, experience and streamlines planning and resources. So at just giving our perspective is on helping charities to tap into these trends whilst maintaining the fundamentals that work. The simple paid creation, strong activation rates and tools that support effective stewardship. Stay tuned for what we've got coming across the whole AI world. It's very cool. But the data is really clear. The opportunities are massive and our team is committed to helping charities of all sizes capture growth at scale. We want to help charities to make the most of this opportunity in the fitness space from helping with leadership to setting goals and motivating runners. Reach out, we're here to help, as you said earlier. If you haven't read the report yet, take a look. It's full of insightful information to help create a successful year of event fundraising. You can simply search just giving 2026 event fundraising snapshot in your browser and you'll find it. Otherwise, reach out to me or anyone in just giving and we can put you in the right direction and help you along your way. I really appreciate that Pascal. I don't think we could have got through the podcast without touching on AI. I'm excited. I think there's a lot of unknowns there and I'm excited to see how that develops. But I think that good old fashioned fundraising still stands like what just giving do in terms of the support you give to motivate fundraisers to organize fundraisers and just the tools and resources like this report. I think I think are really helpful and I think there's a lot we can do that even before we crack into AI even before like AI is on Legionnet. But I'm really excited to see what you guys have plan and we will link to the report again in that podcast. Pascal, I feel like, I mean, you're a busy person, I don't want to keep you too long, but I think is there anything else that's really stood out for you or that you're really excited about? I mean, what's going on in the sector with the people that you mingle with? What's the vibe out there? You know, really honestly, what motivates me every day is seeing the incredible funraisers that we have that come in. I mean, I didn't care what platform people are using. You come in, you have these incredible funraisers doing incredible things every single day. And I think we all need to take a moment just to step away and look at what these people are continuously doing to help charities to achieve their goals and to get out there and do the incredible work that they're doing. I do think that things like event fundraising is a great way to bring your leadership team, to bring other people. I don't care what they do across the organisation into something really special. Get together, get them all involved in a cheering squad along the way of London landmarks, half, whatever event it is. Get people involved because it reminds you why you do what you do and how important it is and how incredible your funraisers are. Whether that be whatever cause it is, it's just a really good reminder to remember the people that are helping make this special and why you're doing what you're doing for all those people that need that help. Yeah. It isn't it. Yeah, I mean, events fundraising, it's like this came up in the conference that sometimes it feels like it's kind of that kind of kid over there, that little messy thing over there. It's not as formal or important as corporate or truster, but I just feel the positivity that comes out of it, the visibility and it crosses over into all these other areas of fundraising. There's so much opportunity to like use it as part of your whole fundraising mix because it is just such a positive environment and such a visible way to see people put an energy into your cause. I love it. Yeah, absolutely. It's fun and it's real and you've got people out there who are not only doing cool things for you, but they're bringing in potential donors. Their family and friends is a whole network of people that you can start tapping into. It's a reminder of, you know, that it's really a core reminder of what you're doing every single day. And I think it's so important. We lose touch. We get so involved in what we're doing. Yeah. We forget about what really matters. And I think it's a nice reminder just to take a moment. We get lost in the spreadsheets and the data. So it's nice to reconnect. And I do love chatting to you, Paris, because it really does reconnect you with beyond a kind of big monster that is just giving and these one million pages and everything. It is like really great people behind this as well, which I really encourage people to reach out to because you guys have always been so helpful and so supportive of the sector. Paris, obviously, people can get in touch with the general just giving team, but where do people find you? Are you a social media user? Are you post on LinkedIn? Do you share much? Yeah, but you can absolutely find me on LinkedIn. I would love to, I'd love to be friends with you on LinkedIn. You'll find me on LinkedIn. And yes, I do. I try to post about our amazing fundraisers, our amazing charity partners, as well as things you will see the report in my LinkedIn as well. You'll find all of that there. So all of that goodness and anything else that we can bring and share, absolutely happy to do so. And dog photos sometimes, I think you share as well. You're a big dog fan, Leia. Yeah. She's grumbling at my feet as we talk. Amazing. Well, I'm going to let you go, Paz. I know you've got more important things to do than talk to me, but it was so wonderful. Yeah, but so wonderful to get your thoughts and your opinions in here, what's been going on for you. And I'm really excited to see what just giving's gotten planned for the next year, but it has. Thank you so much. It's been lovely to see you again. Yeah, thank you so much Simon for having me. I really appreciate it. Love being there. Looking forward to coming back to speak about all things AI soon. Oh, I'm very excited to see what just given where AI goes with just giving. And it's a fun time. But that's it. Thank you, Paz. And thank you to all of you for listening. This is the fundraiser never read podcast. My name is Simon Scriber. Do check out fundraiser never read.com for everything coming up. And yeah, we'll see you again soon. Thank you. Thank you so much for listening to the fundraising everywhere podcast. If you're enjoying this podcast, why not share it with a fundraising friend. And if you would like to give us a little like or subscribe, it really helps more fundraisers that you find us. Thank you so much. See you next time.