
196. Calm Under Pressure: How to Run an Emergency Appeal, with Kusalaraja
From Fundraising Bright Spots by Rob Woods, Bright Spot
May 14, 2026 · 18 min · Episode 196
About this episode
Kusalaraja shares insights on successfully running an emergency appeal for Future Dharma amidst a financial crisis.
When Future Dharma faced a £90,000 shortfall and possible closure, fundraising and communications director Kusalaraja had to act fast. And yet he found that what made all the difference was resisting the temptation to rush. Pausing to think carefully proved invaluable. In this encouraging conversation, he shares how he planned and executed a successful emergency appeal, raising £74,000 for his small charity in around six weeks. His insights include: why thorough preparation beats rushing to send an ask; how a free, 40-minute online event generated valuable major gifts; the power of radical transparency with your supporters; and why an emergency appeal is a “one-shot” - and needs to be treated as such.
People in this episode
Host: Rob Woods
Guest: Kusalaraja
Topics covered
- emergency appeal
- fundraising
- charity
- communication
- transparency
Keywords
- emergency appeal
- fundraising
- charity
- major gifts
- transparency
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Future Dharma
Places: £90,000, £74,000
More episodes of Fundraising Bright Spots
- You're Not the Only Imposter in the Room, with Lara Roche · June 10, 2026 · 31 min
- Relight Your Fire: Purpose, Passion and Power, with Esther Kwaku. · May 27, 2026 · 23 min
- 195. Fortune Favours the Bold Fundraiser, with Ben Swart · April 29, 2026 · 25 min
- 194. Why Giving Days Keep on Giving, with Mel Bushell · April 9, 2026 · 28 min
- 193. Small Shifts, Big Results, with Sarah Pryer · March 11, 2026 · 34 min
- 192. Tenacious Fundraising: How to Keep Going When Funders Keep Saying No, with Sarah Tavener · February 27, 2026 · 28 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Fundraising Bright Spots podcast page.