Grahame Darnell of Darnell Consulting shares evidence-based insights from 100 hours of market research into what businesses are looking for right now — and what it means for your corporate fundraising strategy.
Read the article or watch the webinar below, with the presentation slides available as a free download.
Corporate fundraising has never been more competitive, and for many teams it can feel like the goalposts keep moving. Now, new research presented at a Chartered Institute of Fundraising webinar offers some clear and practical guidance on where the real opportunities lie, what companies are genuinely looking for, and how fundraisers of all sizes can position themselves more effectively.
Grahame Darnell, managing director of Darnell Consulting, drew on over 100 hours of research, including a detailed review of 100 active corporate partnerships and in-depth conversations with around a dozen senior decision-makers.
As Grahame himself acknowledged, the market is tough. “It’s probably the toughest market I’ve seen,” he said during the webinar’s Q&A. “But don’t be disheartened. There are still opportunities out there for you if you have the right approach.”
The headline figures paint a picture of a sector holding steady but under strain. FTSE 100 companies donated £1.85bn in 2024, largely flat on 2023 once inflation is accounted for. Among larger companies outside the FTSE 100, total giving reached £2.2bn, though this too was broadly flat.
Within those figures, there is a notable shift. Cash giving from FTSE 100 firms fell from 63% to 56% of total giving year on year. Given that, as the CAF Corporate Giving Report puts it, “it is cash giving, particularly when unrestricted, that allows charities to run,” this is something fundraisers should keep in mind when thinking about partnership targets. The good news is that 30% of businesses surveyed said they intend to increase their donations.
On causes, the research confirms that children and young people, health, social welfare, and mental health remain the top corporate priorities. Environmental causes are still prominent, and social mobility and employability are rising up the agenda. The trend towards UK-based causes over international continues, reflecting a wider shift in public giving.
One of the most striking findings is that a recognisable charity brand matters far less to companies than fundraisers might assume. “What businesses want to know is the problem you tackle, what you do about it, and why it is important,” Grahame explains. “And that is far more important to them than whether you’ve got a brand they recognise.”
Smaller and lesser-known charities should take heart from this. The research points to what Grahame calls “the underdog effect” — an emerging appetite among companies for underfunded causes with genuine local impact. Firms want to be authentic, and that is increasingly meaning they look beyond the obvious big names.
The practical implication is straightforward: be concrete about your work. Rather than describing your organisation as “supporting people with X,” show what that support actually looks like, who benefits, and how their lives change. Companies want vision, not vague generalities.
Once you have caught a company’s attention, you need to hold it. The research is clear that businesses want to understand the difference your work makes, and they want to see this at the very first touchpoint — your website, a backgrounder document, or an initial proposal.
“Data tells companies about impact,” Grahame said, “but stories show them.”
Most companies are satisfied with output figures, such as the number of people supported or hours delivered, combined with case studies that bring outcomes to life. One senior decision-maker at a law firm put it directly: “We want a clear sense of before and after.”
That does not have to be complicated. A simple beneficiary testimonial can do the job. “I had no confidence and thought I lacked social skills, but since participating in the programme, I’ve made new friends and have now joined my local cricket club,” is the kind of example Grahame highlighted: short, human, and memorable.
For fundraisers working in smaller teams, the shortcut is to talk to colleagues in individual giving, events, or comms. They will already have stories, films, and materials you can draw on.
With most major firms now requiring staff to be in the office at least three days a week, companies are actively looking for ways to build meaningful connection among their teams. “Forced fun” approaches are consistently reported as unpopular and ineffective. What decision-makers are looking for is a genuine sense of shared purpose.
“A charity that can help us bring people together with a sense of shared purpose will get attention,” one senior decision-maker from an insurance firm told the Darnell Consulting team. Charities are well placed to deliver this through events, sports challenges, quizzes, and workplace fundraising. The key is to offer a programme of activities rather than a one-off event, and to be clear that the goal is raising money. That genuine fundraising focus is precisely what gives the activity meaning.
Many fundraisers assume that charity of the year (COTY) partnerships and workplace fundraising are only within reach for big-name charities.
This is a myth worth challenging. Darnell Consulting’s research covers over 80 COTY partnerships, mostly within professional services, with an average value of around £100,000. The majority involve charities that are not household names.
“Don’t rule out COTY and workplace fundraising too quickly,” Grahame urged. These partnerships follow structured annual application processes, and companies in the services sector in particular tend to look well beyond familiar charity brands.
The overarching message from the research is an encouraging one for the profession: the fundamentals of good fundraising are exactly what companies are looking for:
Fundraising is not a support function; it is central to how charities survive and deliver their mission.
Check your corporate proposition clearly communicates the problem you address, what the work looks like, how it connects with people, and what the impact is. Make sure your website and materials reflect this at first glance. If you are doing great work, but have low brand awareness do not assume your charity will not resonate in the corporate market; evidence shows that with the right approach, it will.
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Corporate Partnerships: 2026 Insights webinar slides
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This article was created using the support of AI, based on the transcript from the webinar. It has been reviewed and approved by members of CIOF staff.
