Charity Digital Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Storytelling is a very important part of charity work – it boosts their ability to fundraise, helps them to reach and motivate more supporters, and as we’ll see in this podcast, gain more recognition for their hard work in serving their communities.  

This episode gives nonprofits and mission-driven leaders practical tips on how to create award-winning submissions. We are joined by Megan Waters, Director of Community Engagement at Public Interest Registry, the organisation behind the .org domain name and the .ORG Impact Awards.

Megan shares insights from reviewing thousands of .ORG Impact Awards applications — with a focus on storytelling, clarity, alignment to criteria, and demonstrating real impact.

• Find out more about the .ORG Impact Awards and how to enter here.
• Read 2024's .ORG of the Year, Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation's story.

Charities of all sizes can reap the benefits of awards and grants. Massive budgets and huge teams are not necessary to get recognised – charities just need a compelling story and the right strategy in order to stand out.  

This episode is the first of a three-part podcast series with Public Interest Registry that pulls back the curtain on how to successfully apply for awards, amplify your recognition, and turn visibility into meaningful funding, attention, and donor support.  

In this podcast, we’re joined by Tony Connor, Senior Director, Product Marketing at Public Interest Registry and Darren Dannelly, President & CEO of The Center for Courageous Kids, who will walk us through what makes an application shine. Our guests will talk candidly about crafting a standout submission, how to showcase impact with clarity, and what judges actually look for.  

Whether you're a first-time applicant or refining for a second shot, this is your inside edge. 

Find out more about the .ORG Impact Awards: https://pir.org/for-orgs/org-impact-awards/

The last few years have been challenging for charities. A global pandemic hastened the speed of digital transformation for the entire sector, widespread inflation led to growing costs and more precarious fundraising, and charities have had to balance rising service demand with an uncertain economy.  

But many of these challenges have predated the pandemic – what’s changed is the way we rise to them. Evolving technology has allowed charities to innovate more than ever before, with advances in everything from web accessibility to digital fundraising. 

In this podcast, we’re joined by Tony Connor, Senior Director of Product Marketing at PIR.org, the organisation that looks after the .org domain name, to discuss how technology is developing to meet charity’s challenges, both old and new.  

Resources:

• .ORG Learning Center - .ORG Learning Center - .ORG Learning Center
• Charity Digital - Charity Digital - Home
• Top tech trends for 2024 - Charity Digital - Topics - Tech trends for 2024

Most of us have had an argument over which is better: Zoom or Teams. It’s an argument that has probably taken place over Zoom or Teams. And it’s an important topic, as we spend an increasing amount of our time on those two platforms, whether for quick catch-ups, team stand-ups, or to host webinars. We want to bring that argument to our audience. 

We want to settle the debate. The guests on today’s podcast have been carefully selected because they have a dog in this fight. They are Team Zoom or Team Teams. 

Our host Raabia Fazil (Customer Service Manager) is joined by Chris Hall (Marketing Manager), Stewart Barber (Client Account Specialist), and Elizabeth Carter (E-Comms Manager).

Social distancing restrictions have led to huge changes in the way charities operate. Fundraising efforts have become increasingly digital, physical events shifted to the virtual, and service delivery has moved almost entirely online. Social media was important before the pandemic, but now it’s absolutely essential. 

In today’s podcast, we discuss the future of social media. We examine the major platforms that charities are using and the platforms charities should be using. We discuss the best ways to reach your audience, the importance of scheduling and planning, tone and authenticity, and much more.

And, finally, we look at future social media trends to help charities stay ahead of the curve. We encourage charities to practice boldness and creativity, innovation and experimentation, in order to support fundraising efforts and showcase the brilliant work they are doing. 

Today’s podcast features all Charity Digital employees. E-Comms Manager and host Elizabeth Carter speaks to Sacha Dhabalia (Marketing Intern), Chris Hall (Marketing Manager), and Nick Wyatt (Growth Marketing Executive) about the future of charity social media.

The Access Group have enabled thousands of not-for-profit organisations run more efficiently and raise more money. Whether you’re attracting supporters or members, fundraising, managing visitors, controlling finances, or dealing with staff, their integrated not-for-profit software makes it easy to do more.

The process of digital transformation is a frequent topic of sector discussion. But there is sometimes a misunderstanding as to what this means and how it can be applied.   When we discuss a digital future, sometimes people can overlook the human element. But a digital-first approach must also be a user-centred approach.   In this podcast, we discuss the importance of developing user-centred solutions, rather than splurging on exciting new tech that may not be useful to your audience.   In this episode, we are joined by Shaf Mansour, Product Manager at The Access Group, Jill Haines, Marketing and Communications Manager and Anna Pangbourne, Chief Exec at the Fashion & Textile Children’s Trust.

We've been through three lockdowns and a year of social distancing. We've experienced the loss of physical support systems, the absence of defined structures and routines, and the seemingly endless repetition of negative news. It can feel daunting. It can feel isolating. It can feel scary.

In today’s podcast, we want to talk about digital and self-care. We talk about some of the ways that we at Charity Digital are managing. We discuss the platforms that help us get through the day and the apps that help us at the end of the day. We talk about the ways in which we step away from digital altogether. 

Content Editor and host Ioan Marc Jones is joined by colleagues Chris Hall (Marketing Manager), Sacha Dhabalia (Marketing Intern), and Elizabeth Carter (E-Comms Manager).

2020 was an exceptionally challenging year for charities in the UK, but it proved that the sector is versatile and resilient, ready to meet the demands of the moment. 2021 will be another challenging year, even with the easing of social distancing restrictions.

The Charity Digital podcast discusses, among other things, how to connect with supporters on a personal level, how to make the most of the tools that charities have at their disposal, and how to review and improve existing campaigns.

Customer Service Manager and host, Raabia Fazil, is joined by Emily Casson (Digital Marketing Manager at Cats Protection), Samantha Doe (Digital Engagement Lead at Action for Children), and Matt Collins (Managing Director at Platypus Digital).

This podcast is sponsored by the National Cyber Security Centre, who provide specialised cyber security guidance for charities.   Charities have historically provided an attractive target for cyber criminals. There is a perception that charities will not take the rigorous actions to protect themselves that a corporate organisation would.   The attitudes of charity leaders have played into this perception. Our data suggests that interest among charities in cyber security has actually dropped during the pandemic. But the risk to charities in this time has only increased. Many charity leaders have not considered themselves at risk, or have prioritised putting resources into other areas at the expense of cyber security.   This podcast explores the reasons behind this. Why aren’t charity leaders prioritising cyber security? We will look into a few possible explanations and discuss them, before moving onto why charities should be more concerned.   In this podcast, Business Development Manager and host Lisa Chomette is joined by Cub Llewelyn-Davies (Charity Sector Lead from the National Cyber Security Centre), Michala Liavaag (charity sector expert and former Head of Information, Governance and Security at Marie Curie), and Claire Parris (Strategic Communications Manager from the Communications & Policy Directorate at the Charity Commission).

The social distancing restrictions that came with COVID-19 forced a period of digital acceleration on the charity sector. Zoom replaced meeting rooms, Miro replaced office brainstorming sessions, and Teams and Slack replaced coffee break chats. 

In this week’s podcast, we look at some of the essentials of working from home. We discuss, among other things, how to plan your days, how to keep yourself and your teams motivated, and how to protect remote computers from cybersecurity threats. 

Content Editor and host Ioan Marc Jones is joined by colleagues Lisa Chomette (Business Development Manager), Chris Hall (Marketing Manager), Stewart Barber (Client Account Specialist), and Sacha Dhabalia (Marketing Intern).