Small charities, donor joy and fundraising readiness - with Emma-Louise Singh and Emma Low, Nova Fundraising

Small charities make up around 96% of the UK charity sector, but despite their scale and impact, they can often feel overlooked in wider sector conversations.In this episode of Let’s Talk Fundraising, Tim Beynon is joined by guest co-host Rob Cope, Executive Director of Membership and Operations at CIOF, to explore the realities of fundraising in small charities ahead of Small Charity Week.Rob shares insights from his role as Chair of Citizens Advice Lewisham, discussing the growing pressures on local charities, the importance of community-rooted support, and why small charities remain the “fabric of society”.They’re also joined by Emma-Louise Singh and Emma Low from Nova Fundraising for a practical, honest and uplifting conversation about what it really takes to fundraise successfully as a small charity.Together, they discuss: Why fundraising readiness matters  The Nova Octagon for effective fundraising  Building donor joy and donor love  Why small charities often outperform larger organisations on supporter relationships  The challenges of grant fundraising in today’s climate  Collaboration, storytelling and community fundraising  Legacy fundraising for small charities  How to avoid burnout and focus your limited capacity where it matters most  The importance of networking, peer support and finding your “tribe” There are also brilliant practical examples throughout the episode, from handmade donor thank-you gifts to transformational partnerships and community storytelling.Meet the guestsEmma-Louise Singh, Director, Nova FundraisingEmma-Louise has more than 15 years of fundraising experience across both large national charities and small grassroots organisations. Having built fundraising functions from scratch within small charities, she is passionate about helping organisations grow sustainable income, strengthen supporter relationships and build fundraising confidence. Her background includes individual giving, events and legacy fundraising.Emma Low, Director, Nova FundraisingEmma has held fundraising leadership roles across organisations including Crisis, Asthma UK, Diabetes UK and Womankind Worldwide. She specialises in helping small charities develop practical, relationship-led fundraising approaches and is particularly passionate about storytelling, donor engagement and fundraising strategy rooted in community impact.Rob Cope, Executive Director of Membership and Operations, CIOFRob has worked at the Chartered Institute of Fundraising for more than a decade and leads its work supporting thousands of individual and organisational members across the UK. Alongside his CIOF role, he is Chair of Citizens Advice Lewisham, giving him first-hand insight into the opportunities and challenges facing small charities today.Connect with the guestsNova Fundraising website: https://www.novafundraising.co.uk/Nova Fundraising on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nova-fundraising-ltd/Emma-Louise Singh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-louisesingh/Emma Low on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-low-5814211b/Chartered Institute of Fundraising: https://ciof.org.uk/Rob Cope on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-cope-a071401a/Useful linksCIOF Free small charity membership information: https://ciof.org.uk/membership/free-small-charity-membership/Fundraising Convention information: https://ciof.org.uk/fundraising-convention-2026/CIOF: Navigating soft opt-in and new guidance from the ICO: https://ciof.org.uk/news-policy-and-research/latest-news/navigating-soft-opt-in-and-new-guidance-from-the-ico/ICO guidance on charitable soft opt-inOrganisations mentioned in the episodeCitizens Advice Lewisham: https://citizensadvicelewisham.org.uk/Vision Care for Homeless People: https://www.visioncarecharity.org/Youth Concern: https://www.youthconcern.org.uk/Be a part of the showWe really want to hear what you think of the show and what you'd like us to cover. So if you have thoughts on this episode or ideas for future topics, here's how to get in touch...Use the contact form HERE - https://letstalkfundraising.transistor.fm/contact-usSend us a voice message HERE- https://www.speakpipe.com/LetsTalkFundraisingProduced by The Good Studio - thegoodstudio.co.uk