Benefact Trust

At Gifted, we’re used to building fundraising partnerships with charities across the Third Sector, both in the UK and internationally. And, whilst we work closely with major funders on behalf of our clients, only recently were we invited to support a leading grant maker with its own strategic plan.

Benefact Trust became an independent charity in 1972 and today distributes around £30 million a year to fund, guide and celebrate the work of churches and Christian charities; empowering the most vulnerable and giving people, communities and places a renewed opportunity to flourish.

“Benefact supports an extraordinary array of causes and projects, from funding vital repairs to churches to catalysing community impact projects that tackle poverty, homelessness or the effects of climate change,” says Gifted’s Andrew Day. “When Helen Gray, the Trust’s Chief Executive, appointed us to help draft their new strategic plan, we knew this would be a fantastic opportunity to appreciate the priorities involved in driving positive social change.”

Co-creating a strategy for impact

Developing a strategy that can really hold its own is all about effective co-creation across the organisation. “Imposing objectives and enforcing KPIs is a recipe for failure,” adds Andrew. “From the outset, we were keen to help Benefact draft a three-year plan that drew on the experience and expertise of the Trust’s wider community: its trustees, staff, partners and beneficiaries.”

By listening to different perspectives and pulling these into a framework that resonates with everyone, the resulting strategy is always going to be stronger than one that lands from above.

“It’s been fascinating to get under the skin of an outstanding grant making trust and present a range of strategic options to underpin both future sustainability and impact,” says Andrew.

Get in touch

If your organisation is looking to undertake a strategic review of its fundraising operation, or you'd like to find out more about our full range of fundraising services, get in touch and request an initial conversation with one of our Directors.