Inspire2Aspire
#

Find entries by tag

Blog

A Tale of Two Charities in the News: Measuring Success and Shortcomings Through the Lens of 'Winning by Being Good

Canal london lrg
Charities are under the spotlight like never before—every decision, every outcome, every failure or success is headline news. That’s why I wrote “Winning by Being Good”—the essential guide for anyone who wants their organisation to stand out, thrive, and earn public trust. In this blog, I reveal the core principles behind true leadership and lasting financial success, using real-world examples to show what works and what doesn’t. But I don’t just share theory: “Winning by Being Good” equips you with a powerful audit tool, The Responsible Organisation Charter© (ROC), so you can rigorously assess your organisation and instantly identify areas for improvement. Packed with actionable strategies and practical examples, this is your blueprint for building an organisation people admire—and support. Don’t settle for mediocrity or risk being tomorrow’s negative headline. Invest in your organisation’s future—get “Winning by Being Good” and lead the way to ethical, sustainable success.

Posted by Sarah Brown on 31 Oct '25 | Tags: charity ROC

If you work with people you need to read this

If you work with people you need to
Relationships are crucial for your success, whether you are a solo entrepreneur, part of a small organisation with a few staff members and volunteers, or part of a multinational corporation. This blog focuses on how enhancing your organisation’s success hinges on the connections it makes and why these relationships matter. If you're interested in learning more, discovering your staff's opinions, and reading inspiring examples, then buy my book Winning by being Good

Posted by Sarah Brown on 31 Aug '25 | Tags: profit relationships charity business success

How can you do good, be more effective and save money?

Do good be more effective save money
Everywhere there is talk of using artificial intelligence(AI) to save money and change the world but I have not come across much about how it can be used for doing good except in the medical field so I thought I would look for some examples and also share practically how I use AI and have done in some cases for almost a decade. I want to be clear: this blog's content has involved my use of AI. However, it was only by asking intelligent, insightful questions that I obtained any valuable answers. As this first infographic illustrates, it is pretty but totally uninformative.

Posted by Sarah Brown on 31 Mar '25 | Tags: innovation AI charity social enterprise

Five ways to respond positively to the budget

Elephant 2380009 640sm
As I have sat this morning listening to people, particularly in business, talking about the record tax burden, I thought it might be helpful to share some positive ideas about coping with increased staff costs and also how to help with the ambition to get the UK economy growing. For charities, there are ideas about how some of the budget tax rises might help you raise funds, and for CICs, a suggestion is to consider their legal structure. I'd also like to share some practical ways to address issues raised by the increase in employer's National Insurance if it will affect your organisation.

Posted by Sarah Brown on 31 Oct '24 | Tags: collaboration innovation cic charity staff engagement

Our five top tools to make your fundraising efforts more effective

16319115
I have worked with charities facing funding crises since the early 1990s and have developed a set of unique tools to help identify ways that charities can attract more money. I know that, unfortunately, in a crisis, it can be tempting to chase money and ignore your values and vision, leading to failure.

Posted by Sarah Brown on 07 Oct '24 | Tags: creative think tank tools charity goal setting

Let's make sure we are part of the solution, not the problem

What you do today is important because
The UK economy is not growing, and UK tax income needs to rise enough to provide the money required to support everything we need, such as the NHS, social care, housing, education, and addressing inequality.

Posted by Sarah Brown on 30 Nov '23 | Tags: values environment charity corporate culture

Be really clear about what you offer

Change lives
How a clear Theory of Change is critical for success whatever type of organisation you are

Posted by Sarah Brown on 04 Aug '23 | Tags: values charity socent business corporate culture

What is ESG and five reasons it matters even if you are a charity

Forest fire
First, let me introduce you to ESG -if you want more detail, please email sarah@inspire2aspire.co.uk to get our ebook. ESG - the details and relevance to charities and social enterprises The term ESG was officially coined in 2004 with the publication of the UN Global Compact Initiative's "Who Cares Wins” report. But for me, I only heard the phrase when my next-door neighbour said it was her job to help companies calculate it for their cars!

Posted by Sarah Brown on 31 Jul '23 | Tags: governance social impact charity

Thinking outside the box - Recession: threat or opportunity

Sunset relaxing
In this third blog about thriving in challenging times, whatever type of organisation you are, I want to think about what is the key to success in any organisation. Whether you are a one-woman band or a global corporation, a charity, social enterprise or business, the people involved are critical.

Posted by Sarah Brown on 21 Feb '23 | Tags: charity success public sector socent business

When you grow up do you want to be a business, a social enterprise or a charity?

When I grow up
What is the difference between a business that wants to change the world, a charity that wants to change the world and a social enterprise and who decides which is which? Easy in terms of the legal charity status - after that it gets complex.

Posted by Sarah Brown on 08 Dec '22 | Tags: entrepreneur social enterprise public sector charity cic

An idea to help smaller charities

Charity clerk
Charities rely on grants or people's donations. Since the first Charity Act in 1604, charities have been regulated to ensure people can trust they are using the money wisely and as intended. Complying with the law and the charity governance code and doing good work is challenging for small charities run totally by volunteers.

Posted by Sarah Brown on 26 Oct '22 | Tags: charity governance code charity

Ten potential reasons to set up a separate trading subsidiary

CHARITY wordcloud
I have been encouraging charities to think more entrepreneurially for over 30 years. If you generate income rather than rely on grants or donations, you have control of your destiny.

Posted by Sarah Brown on 04 Mar '22 | Tags: collaboration charity social enterprise socent

1 2 3 4 5 Next