What's it like to help establish a charity and then become one of its trustees? For Paul Brady, public fundraising officer at the Chartered Institute of Fundraising (CIOF) and trustee of Wild Garsdale Pike, it's meant learning new skills, navigating funding challenges and discovering the value of working together. As part of Trustees’ Week 2026, Paul shares his experience of helping a small environmental charity grow, the realities of fundraising for nature restoration and why more fundraisers should consider becoming trustees.
Paul, you were already involved with Wild Garsdale Pike before becoming a trustee. How did you end up taking on the role?
"Honestly, I was a little cajoled into at first but my experience of meeting other trustees at CIOF events gave me the confidence that I should give it a try, especially given my experience with fundraising and charities.
"I’d been working with Wild Garsdale Pike for a while, volunteering, advising and helping to set the charity up even, so I guess it also seemed like the next logical step – how could I walk away now!"
Having previously worked for larger charities, what surprised you most about starting from scratch, particularly when it came to fundraising?
"I’ve worked for several large and well-established charities before, so certain things I took for granted i.e. systems, knowledge and processes. Starting from scratch, thinking of things that you haven’t had to think about before was and still is a challenge, but I always say every challenge presents an opportunity. So keep positive and start somewhere even if its not 100% perfect.
"As for fundraising, we’ve found it easier to get money for some things that fit easily into certain criteria or a funder can get publicity out of e.g. improving accessibility, facilitating visits and basic equipment.
"Other things like restoring 100 acres of peat bog are very costly, often requiring match funding and a lot more planning. These big donors often require lots of details and want guarantees on value for money, so if you’re not detail orientated then make sure you pass your plan by someone who is."
What's helped you and your fellow trustees navigate the challenges of running a new charity?
"As a new charity, us trustees have had to learn a lot. With that in mind I’d say that networking and meeting people who’ve had similar challenges and similar organisations has been paramount to our successes so far.
"If you can do that whilst out in nature and establish long-term links and a support network then I’d say you’re already winning."
In a small charity where everyone takes on different responsibilities, how do you make collaboration work?
"As a very small charity, we are all one and the same thing which has the advantage of making things easier and quicker … sometimes.
"At other times it is important to be open, listen and encourage fresh perspectives as the ideas that have the most success have the most buy-in. I would also say that a fundraising initiative ideally must be linked to the cause and this is often where it is useful to collaborate with trustees to ensure any ideas stay within the scope of the charity’s core values."
Finally, what would you say to a fundraiser who's curious about becoming a trustee but hasn't quite taken the leap?
Do it!
Charities often advertise for trustees with fundraising experience and yet there are so few with it, so be a maverick.
There are always safety nets like cooling off periods, trials or simply sitting in for a few meetings and seeing how it goes. I bet most CEO’s would love to have an informal chat with anyone who is interested too.
Paul's experience offers a useful reminder that trusteeship doesn't always begin with a formal application. Sometimes, it grows naturally from volunteering, getting involved in a cause and realising you have something valuable to contribute.
His reflections also highlight the realities of fundraising for smaller charities. From navigating complex funding applications to building networks and learning new skills, there's a lot that trustees and fundraisers can learn from one another.
And if you're considering becoming a trustee, Paul's advice is simple: start a conversation. Getting to know a charity, attending a meeting or speaking to its leadership team could be a useful first step.
We're sharing the experiences of CIOF colleagues who volunteer as trustees and exploring what their perspectives can teach us about fundraising, leadership and working together.
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