We recently invited charities to join us for our Community Hub event for a practical and engaging hybrid session, exploring what funders are looking for from charities in 2026 and beyond.
Led by fundraising and impact specialist Emma Insley, the event gave attendees valuable insight into how organisations can strengthen funding applications and better communicate the difference they make.
One of Emma’s key messages was that funders want more than just numbers. While evidence and data remain important, charities are increasingly encouraged to bring their impact to life through storytelling. Combining statistics with real experiences helps funders understand not only what an organisation does, but the difference it makes to people’s lives.
Emma also highlighted the importance of focusing on outcomes rather than activities. Instead of simply reporting how many sessions were delivered or people attended, charities should demonstrate the positive changes their work creates for beneficiaries and communities.
Funding bids don’t need to focus solely on a charity’s successes. Funders value organisations that demonstrate learning and reflection, recognising that not every project goes exactly to plan. Being honest about what worked, what didn’t, and how you adapted your approach can go a long way.
Charities were introduced to a simple framework for telling compelling impact stories, helping them clearly explain who they support, the challenges people face, the action they take and the results they achieve.
The event concluded with a hands-on workshop where attendees developed their own impact stories and used the framework to present evidence, outcomes and learning. We heard some truly amazing stories, one charity shared that they were writing a bid later that afternoon, and would be putting what they learnt, and the story they produced into practice.
The overall takeaway was clear: successful funding applications combine strong evidence, authentic stories and a clear understanding of the difference your charity makes to the cause they have dedicated their work to.
