The National Arts Fundraising School

05/09/2026

What fundraisers can learn from bees and their dancing

The bees that ignore the dance. Trying new things in fundraising.

Bees and their famous waggle dance is important, and links this to why a fifth of your fundraising should be looking for markets or approaches — especially decision science — you maybe haven’t tried yet.

Ask yourself, your boss or even your board this question. What proportion of next year’s fundraising budget is committed to approaches or markets you have never tested?

Want to find out more?

https://decisionscience.org.uk/2026/09/the-bees-that-ignore-the-dance/

Want to learn even more?

There are still a few places available for our major seminar, Raising More, Smarter: AI and Decision Science for Fundraisers, on 21 September 2026 at NCVO in London.

https://decisionscience.org.uk/masterclasses/decision-science-ai-fundraisers-sept-2026/

Want to transform your whole team?

Discover our comprehensive three stage consultancy and training programme. Learn about how to apply decision science that looks like magic to your fundraising, communication and and campaigning.

https://decisionscience.org.uk/transform-your-results-decision-science/ -dive

27/08/2026

Developing a compelling and creative Case for Support
NCVO, London | 14.00–16.30 | FREE | Only 20 places
If you feel you need a boost to your fundraising creativity why not enjoy an afternoon of brilliant insight on Sept 22nd?
The afternoon will be led by Bernard Ross, director of =mc consulting, author of the new Amazon best seller Case for Support Playbook and director of the National Arts Fundraising School. Bernard has helped shape cases for support and raised money for museums, galleries, theatres, festivals and heritage sites across the UK and beyond… from the Southbank Centre to Paisley Museum.
This is a working session, not a lecture. You’ll spend the afternoon applying the Playbook methodology directly to your own organisation. Bring your current case and we’ll help you stress-test and sharpen it. Don’t have one yet? Even better. You’ll start building one from scratch, with expert guidance in the room.
Make it fit the audience — or the ask
A single generic case rarely works in the cultural sector. Different audiences give for different reasons. Different propositions demand different arguments. So in this workshop you choose your focus. You can shape a case for a specific audience, such as:
*Using Decision Science to Create a Compelling Case for Support
*High net worth individuals — where ambition, evidence and impact carry the argument
*Audience members and visitors — the people who already love your work, but don’t yet give
Or you can build a case for a specific proposition:
*A capital campaign — where you need to sell a vision, not just a building
*Legacies — where the case must speak to meaning, memory and what lasts
Whichever route you choose, you’ll leave with a stronger, sharper case and a clear structure for finishing it.
What you’ll take away
*A practical framework for building and testing any case for support
* Direct feedback on your own case, from peers and from Bernard
*Techniques for adapting one core case to multiple audiences and asks
*The chance to secure your own copy of the Case for Support Playbook for half price
https://www.nationalartsfundraisingschool.com/.../is.../
Keen.. secure your place here? See less

As a fundraiser, do you need guidance on how to inspire your donors in your Case For Support? If so, we're running a FREE workshop in London on Tuesday, Sept 22nd for NAFS Alumni that aims to provide solutions.

23/07/2026

Learn to use neuroscience in fundraising!

Become a donor drug dealer!

You’re probably aware of the chemicals Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin and Endorphins, collectively remembered by the acronym DOSE. If you’re asking a donor, especially a major donor, for financial support you should be organising stimuli – words, images, experiences – in a way that promotes DOSE production, and links altruistic addiction to your cause.

You can enjoy an intensive in-house training to make use of these four chemicals as well as many other heuristics, and enjoy the major donor success achieved by organisations who’ve already benefitted from our training like Trussell Trust, SmileTrain, Alzheimer’s Association (USA), and UNHCR.

Want to find out more?

Go to https://decisionscience.org.uk/2023/08/become-a-donor-drug-dealer/

28/06/2026

The future if fundraising

11/06/2026

Great job at Onfife!

OnFife is looking for an ambitious and experienced Sponsorship & Funding Manager to lead the development and delivery of our sponsorship and fundraising strategy.

23/10/2025

Maybe worth thinking about impact investment...? https://figurative.org.uk/about/what-is-social-impact-investment/

30/05/2025

Have you been on the National Arts Fundraising School and live in Scotland? If so I'd love you to come to our ch*****ne and canapés garden party on 2nd July 17.00-19.00- celebrating 5 years of being Edinburgh-based.
Event will be in central Edinburgh in one of the lovely private gardens- below. And we have a Plan B if it rains.

If you'd like to come please let me know at [email protected]

01/05/2025

You asked for it and now it's here. Team NAFS are running just two 'open' Masterclasses in Making the Ask. Your chance to learn from Bernard Ross and Sarah Shooter the secret skills to close any fundraising ask. There are two chances to take part:

Wakefield 12th June
London 23rd June

Normal price is £149 but there are 10 places exclusively for NAFS alumni- or people in your organisation- for only £99. Saving £50! AND you get a FREE copy of Making the Ask £19.99.

Secure your place now- just follow the link below. And in the special secret code box write 'Alumn*' We'll automatically apply the discount.

Join us on Thursday, June 12th in London or Monday, June 23rd in Wakefield for a masterclass about "Making The Ask" in fundraising.

06/02/2025

Seeing some positive feedback about this approach- where you submit a a funding application to 250 sources at once...worth a try?

This is a unique and exciting addition to the philanthropy services that we offer to…

13/01/2025

The 2025 round of NAFS programmes- online and residential- are available and booking up.
You can find out about them here https://www.nationalartsfundraisingschool.com/ Three bits of good news:
We've been able to reduce the prices again 999 for the online and 1499 for residential
Lincolnshire based artists and organisations can secure a FREE place - detail here https://www.nationalartsfundraisingschool.com/2025/01/dont-miss-out-free-places-on-the-national-arts-fundraising-school/
Berwick based artists and organisations may be able to secure subsidised places though funds available in the Northumberland CCZ . Contact [email protected]
Oh and we have a free discovery webinar to find out more about the School on 31st January at 15.00. Have a friend who might benefit? Sign them up! https://www.nationalartsfundraisingschool.com/2025/01/wondering-if-the-national-arts-fundraising-school-is-right-for-you/

Join our free 30-minute webinar to have all your questions answered, happening on 31st January 2025 at 15:00. Find out over a half hour in an informal discovery webinar where you can meet the programme leaders, hear from previous attendees, and find out which version is best for you.