Once upon a donor: Storytelling through data

Kayleigh Philps, Consultant Analyst, Wood for Trees

Each year, Wood for Trees puts together a report of how the charity sector has been performing, based on our benchmarked data from the reporting suite InsightHub. This short and sweet session will cover the highlights from this report to bring you up to speed on what’s been happening in the wider world of charity over the last year. Kayleigh will talk you through the recent successes to celebrate, and the areas that need a little extra attention this year. She’ll offer guidance on what these trends mean, and aspects to think about in context for your own organisation.

Alan Sparke, Assistant Head of Individual Giving, The Salvation Army | Kayleigh Philps, Consultant Analyst, Wood for Trees

We’ve all heard of the advice of “keep it simple”, but often this can be easier said than done. The shininess of advanced analytics, and the latest buzz words around generative AI, can seduce us into wanting to run before we can walk. But how can we make sure we’ve got strong analysis foundations to enable us to move on to tackling the move advanced projects?

This session will cover some of the key analysis basics which must be in place to make sure you have strong analysis foundations. We’ll talk through our reasoning behind them, and give practical examples of how you can ensure these exist within your organisation. We’ll then hear directly from The Salvation Army about how they’ve mastered these basics, and from there what they have gone on to achieve using more advanced analysis techniques.

Tom Ridges, Founder and CEO of Herdify

Human decision-making hasn’t changed for thousands of years, and stories have always shaped how people think, feel and act. In this session, we’ll explore the psychology behind why people donate and what charities can do differently to inspire giving and increase donations.

Rob Dyer, Lead Consultant Analyst, Wood for Trees

Every donation has a story. But most organisations are only reading the last chapter.

When a supporter gives, they’ve been on a journey: across channels, over time, through moments of awareness, consideration and intent. Yet most attribution still hands all the credit to whatever showed up last.

In this session, we’ll investigate the donor journey the way a good detective would: gathering the evidence, building the timeline and asking what really drove that gift. No jargon. No technology. Just a case worth cracking.

Nathan Rose, Head of Media Planning, Join the Dots | Chris Hirst, Director of Fundraising, Debra, Katie Mitchell, Head of Supporter Engagement, MIND | Kelly Borucka, Head of Supporter Marketing & Public Fundraising, Plan International UK

Every memorable tale needs a hero, a guiding hand, a few unexpected twists, and the occasional villain. In this panel, charities of different shapes and sizes will explore how to craft supporter journeys that feel less like a series of asks and more like stories supporters genuinely want to be part of. Stories where supporters take centre stage, insight plays the guide and meaningful engagement is the happy ending.

Chris Combemale, Director of Policy & Public Affairs, DMA

The DUA Act is not a fairy tale but a long-anticipated update to data protection legislation that creates significant opportunities for charities to increase fundraising revenue. From the charity soft opt-in to certainty around legitimate interests as a lawful basis, and exceptions to consent for cookies, the DUA creates opportunities for deeper donor engagement and new donor acquisition.

Chris will take you through the story of how the DMA and its members worked across two governments to achieve these changes and how you can benefit from them.

Stephen Brown, Dogs Trust | Dan Henly, Senior Insight Analyst, Wood for Trees

You’ll follow the journey from insight to action: how to decode performance patterns, uncover hidden opportunities and avoid repeating costly missteps. Most importantly, you’ll see how post-campaign analysis doesn’t just explain the past – it actively shapes the future, giving teams the confidence to choose smarter paths, design bolder campaigns and inform marketing strategy that isn’t left to chance but founded in evidence.