what if
Just one volunteer in one shop signed up one person per week to become a regular donor?
That's 52 new donors a year.
What impact would that have for a small organisation? What if it wasn’t just volunteers in shops, but staff and teams across your whole organisation?
This was the thinking that led to the creation of Make The Ask - a 2.5 hour workshop designed to help anyone involved with charity ask for support in any situation.
Just imagine 20/40/60% of your people signing up one person a month. The numbers stop being incremental. They become transformational.
And it costs nothing but confidence.
That potential already exists. Inside your organisation. Right now.
why it matters
Most charity income comes from ordinary people who gave because someone asked them -
not because of a clever campaign
or a chance website visit.
Because a real person looked them in the eye and said: this matters, and I need your help.
One study found that around 80% of people give because they were asked directly.
You've got those people. In shops. At events. Talking to families, service users, potential supporters every day.
Every conversation that ends without an ask is a missed opportunity your charity might never see again.
what gets in the way?
So what stops us asking?
It’s rarely about not caring.
It’s usually about the personal barriers and biases that make asking feel hard.
“I didn’t know I was allowed to ask”
No permission from leadership.
Culture starts at the top. If you haven’t asked your people to ask, why would they?
"It's not my job"
Fundraising sits in a silo.
When fundraising is seen as “someone else’s department”, staff and volunteers don’t see themselves as part of the solution, even when they’re face‑to‑face with ideal supporters.
“I’m scared they’ll say no”
Fear of rejection.
Asking feels vulnerable. People worry about awkward moments, so they avoid the conversation altogether and never give supporters the chance to say yes.
“I don’t want to seem pushy”
Fear of being ‘that person’.
They care about relationships and don’t want to pressure anyone. To protect the relationship, they say nothing – even when the opportunity is right there.
“I wouldn’t know what to say”
No simple structure.
No one has shown them how to start or shape an ask. Without a clear, simple way to do it, the whole thing feels too big and risky to attempt.
“They probably won’t be interested”
Assumptions and bias.
People project their own worries onto supporters – “they can’t afford it”, “they’re too busy” – and decide for them. The result is that potentially generous people are never even asked.
MTA doesn’t turn people into salespeople. It helps them understand what’s really stopping them, reframe what ‘asking’ means, and learn a simple, repeatable process they can use in real conversations.
The complete ask
The Triple-A framework creates the complete ask
made up of Amplify (awareness), Advocate (conviction), and Ask (action).
They work together, but people can start with whichever one feels right.
We focus primarily on teaching the Ask, because that's where income happens. But the framework gives people options - whether they're ready to ask directly or need to start by just talking about your cause.
A
Amplify
So more people know who you are and what you do.
Who this works for:
Everyone in your organisation - from shop staff to social media teams to service delivery. If you interact with people, you can amplify.
A
Advocate
So people understand why your work matters and feel moved to act.
Who this works for:
Anyone with passion or position - CEOs and trustees, service staff who see the impact, community coordinators, event teams.
A
Ask
So your conversations translate into actual income and support.
Who this works for:
Public-facing roles - shop volunteers, visitor centre staff, community fundraisers, event teams, lottery coordinators, membership teams.
If you already have professional fundraisers, they're doing all three instinctively. Most of your organisation isn't - and that's fine. This gives them a way in, no matter their starting point.
How MTA works
Give your team the mindset
and the method to ask.
MTA is a 7‑week programme that combines a live workshop with structured real‑world practice, so confidence turns into actual income.
Part 1: The Workshop
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A live 2.5-hour session that addresses the barriers, builds confidence, and teaches the practical steps.
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Helps your people face their fears, discover their passion, and find their voice.
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Shows them why your cause matters, how they can help, and the influence they have.
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Gives them a simple, practical toolkit to shift from charity worker to charity advocate.
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By the end, they're ready to ask for support with integrity and confidence.
Part 2: The Challenge
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6 weekly practice challenges that build from talking about your cause (Week 1) to making direct asks (Week 6).
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Participants choose their difficulty level each week based on readiness and available opportunities.
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Progress tracked through weekly submissions. Managers receive updates every Monday and Friday showing who's engaging and where to encourage them.
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By Week 6, they've made real asks, heard both 'yes' and 'no', and built the confidence to keep asking without hand-holding.
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This isn't just training. It's doing.
The Workshop
2.5 hours that change how your team
thinks about asking.
We set the scene and lay the right foundation to answer any potential reasons people may have to not make the ask.
5. The Five Whys: Five reasons MTA is right for you
4. The Four Wins: The people that benefit most from MTA
3. The Triple A: The three ways everyone can ask for support
2. The Two Revelations: The two truths to protect you from frustration & expectation.
1. The One Universal Truth: The one fact to keep you focused.
Identifying personal barriers (fear, embarrassment, "not my job"). Understanding what these barriers actually are (self-protection, not reality). The critical reframe: What matters more — your discomfort or their opportunity to help? The Permission Moment: Understanding their role as the bridge between need and support. They learn the MTA Courage Equation:
Outcome for Them > Discomfort for Me ⇒ Make the Ask
They also see themselves as a bridge between those that the need help and those that can:
Why your personal connection is your biggest asset. Developing their "I ask because..." statement. Turning authentic care into confident communication. Each person identifies why this cause matters to them personally and turns it into a simple statement:
This becomes their fuel – making their asks honest, natural and human, rather than scripted.
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The 6-step ask process (works in any context).
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The 5-part pitch structure (Intro, Context, Need, Impact, Ask).
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Simple rules that help (make eye contact, be specific, then stop talking).
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What to do when they say no (and why most "nos" aren't the real reason).
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After-conversation follow-up (yes, no, maybe).
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The ripple effect (your impact is bigger than you see).
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Their commitment: one conversation in the next 7 days.
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Book your spot
Choose your beta cohort
Five Beta workshops running between March & April 2026.
Maximum 12 people per session.
Beta pricing (£49-39pp) ends after these cohorts -
full price launches May 2026.
Questions? Book a discovery call or email info@managekind.com
the mta advantage
Why MTA works
MTA gives you something traditional fundraising agencies can't: flexible, authentic, low-cost support that starts paying for itself immediately.
What's The Potential?
One regular donor at £10/month = £120/year.
If one person on your team signs up one regular donor, the course pays for itself in Year 1.
If five people do it, you’re at five times your investment in Year 1.
We give your team the capability and practice structure. You decide where to point it.
No Restrictions
Ask anyone — no minimum age, no minimum amount, no multi-year commitments.
Authentic & Engaging
Staff and volunteers naturally connect with supporters. No pressure, no scripts, no misrepresentation. Just genuine conversations that build trust.
Flexible & Scalable
Use the people you already have, across all roles. No recruitment, no salaries, no long-term contracts. Scale up or down as needed.
Control & Consistency
The charity sets the messaging, protecting brand and mission alignment.
Multiple Touchpoints
Staff and volunteers interact in shops, events, social channels, community networks - built-in audiences across multiple contexts where asking can happen naturally.
Data Building
Each ask collects contact details and supporter information, creating a growing pipeline for future fundraising and relationship development.
who is it for
If this sounds like your organisation
- MTA is for you
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You rely on public giving but don’t have a big fundraising team.
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You have passionate staff and volunteers, but they rarely make direct asks.
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You’d love more regular givers but can’t commit to long agency contracts.
Whether you have one community fundraiser or a network of 200 shop volunteers, MTA gives everyone the same confidence, clarity, and consistency to make the ask.
Organisations that benefit
Small and medium charities
Relying on public giving and looking for a realistic, low-cost way to grow it.
Charities with public‑facing teams
Shop staff, events teams, membership schemes, visitor centres and community volunteers who talk to the public every day but rarely make direct asks.
Charities wanting to build a fundraising culture
Where asking becomes part of how everyone thinks - not just the fundraising team.
Leaders who also need to fundraise
Small charity CEOs wearing every hat - This gives them a practical way to involve their team, instead of trying to do it all themselves.
People who can use it
Leaders and trustees
Embed asking into culture and strategy. Lead by example.
Managers and coordinators
Provide opportunities and empower their teams to act on them.
Staff and service teams
Turn day‑to‑day interactions with families, service users and partners into genuine support opportunities.
Volunteers
Confidently engage their networks, communities and online audiences in supporting your cause.
Start with the people who already have conversations - then use their success to spread a fundraising culture across the rest of your organisation.
the detail
Simple. Flexible. Affordable.
Workshop Details
Format
Live online (Zoom)
Duration
2.5 hours
Group size
Up to 12 people
Style
Breakouts, reflection, practice
When
March - April 2026 - 3 beta cohorts
What's Included
✓ Live interactive workshop with breakouts, reflection and practice
✓ Ask structure framework
✓ 6 weekly email challenges
✓ Progress tracking system
✓ Manager progress reports (weekly summaries)
✓ Objection handling guide
✓ Support throughout via email
SOLO
£120
£49
Save £71
(59% off)
TEAM 5-9 PEOPLE
£105 pp
£42 pp
Save £63 per person
(60% off)
COHORT 10-12 PEOPLE
£95 pp
£39 pp
Save £56 per person
(59% off)
Beta pricing for March - April 2026 cohorts only. Full pricing (£120pp standard, team discounts available) launches May 2026.
If you attend the full workshop and don’t feel it was relevant and high quality, request a refund
within 7 days – no questions asked.
MTA in action
See how MTA works in your world
These aren't hypotheticals. These are the everyday situations where your people could be asking - but aren't.
MTA gives them the confidence and structure to turn these moments into income.
1. Shops & Visitor Centers
The missed opportunity: Dozens of daily conversations with people who already support you - but most leave without being asked for more.
What MTA unlocks: Regular giving, Gift Aid sign-ups, legacy conversations with older customers, volunteer recruitment, and corporate partnership discussions.
The potential: One shop recruiting just 5 new monthly supporters per month = £3,000+ annual income from that location alone.
2. Public Events & Festivals
The missed opportunity: You're paying for stall space and volunteer time, but most teams leave without capturing the momentum.
What MTA unlocks: Festival stalls, exhibition stands, marathon cheer points, seasonal fairs, community events.
The potential: Turn a £500 event cost into £2,000+ income by converting conversations into committed monthly supporters.
3. Your Volunteer Networks
The missed opportunity: Your volunteers love your cause and have their own networks - but don't know how to turn those personal connections into supporters.
What MTA unlocks: Personal network asks (friends, family, colleagues), workplace giving conversations, social media advocacy that leads to action, and peer-to-peer fundraising.
The potential: 50 volunteers each signing up one person from their network = 50 new supporters without needing any charity infrastructure.
4. Memberships, Sponsorships & Lottery
The missed opportunity: Renewal rates drop, upsells don't happen, and opportunities slip through because no one knows how to have the conversation.
What MTA unlocks: Membership upgrades and renewals, corporate sponsorships, individual animal/tree/project sponsorships, lottery sign-ups converting to regular giving.
The potential: Increase retention by 10% and upgrade 5% to higher tiers - that alone could transform your annual income baseline.
5. Public-Facing Service Delivery
The missed opportunity: Your support workers, educators, helpline staff, and community teams build deep relationships with people who've seen your impact firsthand - but asking feels awkward or inappropriate.
What MTA unlocks: End-of-service conversations, annual family reviews, volunteer appreciation moments, education workshop closes, and community centre interactions.
The potential: Even 1 in 10 beneficiaries or their families becoming supporters creates a sustainable income stream that grows with your impact.
6. Bespoke: Training For Specific Events
When you need it: Got a major gala, festival appearance, door-to-door campaign, or Christmas appeal coming up? Your team's confidence in those moments determines your income.
What we do: Train your specific team for your specific event 2-6 weeks beforehand. We tailor the workshop content, practice scenarios, and ask structures to match your exact context and goals.
The difference: Your team walks into the event with a clear plan, practiced pitches, and the confidence to ask when the moment's right — instead of hoping it happens naturally.
who we are
We've done this.
For a long time.
Hi, we are John and James.
We’ve spent over 50 years in fundraising, training thousands of fundraisers, leaders, and support staff across face-to-face, community, and corporate environments.
We’ve helped charities raise millions of pounds and engage thousands of new supporters nationwide.
But we also know the other side:
The cost, the pressure, and the missed opportunities when fundraising feels separate from the rest of the organisation.
That’s why we created Make the Ask (MTA) - to make fundraising accessible, affordable, and authentic for every charity.
MTA distils what’s worked across that experience into something any charity can use with the people they already have.
James Wild
James spent over 20 years in charity fundraising — starting as a face-to-face fundraiser in London, then moving into training, coaching, and management roles. He's recruited and trained hundreds of fundraisers, built regional operations from scratch, and managed national campaigns for charities including Guide Dogs, Clic Sargent, and HFT.
He co-founded ManageKind to bring the people-first leadership approach he developed in fundraising to managers everywhere. With MTA, he's bringing those fundraising skills back to where they started — helping charities unlock the potential already sitting inside their organisations.
John Fitzgerald
John has over 25 years in charity fundraising and management. He's built teams, launched campaigns, trained thousands of fundraisers, and helped charities engage new supporters nationwide. He's passionate about making fundraising accessible — not just for the professionals, but for everyone.
He co-founded ManageKind to teach managers how to lead with trust, respect, and kindness. MTA is the natural extension of that belief: when people feel confident and supported, they can do extraordinary things — including asking for help on behalf of the causes they care about.
1000 +
Fundraisers Trained
100 +
Charities Worked With
1.5M
New Donors Signed
890
Fundraising Campaigns Launched
Frequently asked questions
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