FairTalk: Reclaiming Ethical Fundraising in a Time of Nonprofit Cuts
Howard Lake | 3 June 2025 | Sponsored posts
Sponsored post
FairTalk returns on 10 June with a conversation that feels more urgent than ever. As nonprofits and development organisations navigate shrinking budgets, many are facing difficult choices about what to prioritise and what to let go. Communications, visibility, and storytelling are often among the first things. to be cut. But when that happens, organisations risk losing more than just reach. They risk losing trust.
This FairTalk explores why ethical storytelling should remain central, especially when resources are limited. It asks: what happens to fundraising, relationships, and legitimacy when communications are reduced to short-term metrics? And how can NGOs reclaim storytelling as a strategic, values-aligned tool in times of constraint?
Hosted by Fairpicture , FairTalk is a recurring space to reflect on the ethics and impact of visual communication in the global development and humanitarian sectors. Fairpicture connects organisations with local photo and video creators, making it possible to co-produce content that is respectful, dignified, and locally grounded. Our platform simplifies ethical commissioning, and our FairConsent app ensures that consent is informed, revocable, and documented, building accountability into every stage of the storytelling process.
In this 14th edition of FairTalk, we’ll showcase how ethical storytelling and co-creation are being put into practice, through real-world case studies, shared principles, and grounded examples from across the sector.
Across the sector, expectations for transparency are rising. Donors, supporters, and communities want to see not just results, but alignment between an organisation’s mission and its message. Ethical storytelling helps bridge that gap. It’s not just about protecting dignity, though that matters immensely. It’s also about strengthening relationships. In a time when trust is fragile, values-led communications can help NGOs stand out for the right reasons.
Ethical storytelling might feel like a luxury in today’s climate. But as this FairTalk will show, it is foundational to long-term resilience. Stories shape how organisations are seen, how people engage with them, and how sustainable their work can be. The right story, told well and ethically, builds legitimacy. It shows care, intention, and respect for those at the heart of the work.
What You’ll Learn
This session offers practical insight for anyone working at the intersection of communications, fundraising, or programme delivery. Together with our speakers, we’ll explore:
- What gets lost when urgency drives storytelling. From dignity to context, we’ll unpack the cost of cutting corners.
- How to uphold ethics while connecting with donors. Values and transparency are not weaknesses. They are differentiators.
- Steps for staying values-aligned on a limited budget. Insights will be relevant for communication professionals, fundraisers, and decision-makers alike.
Whether you’re part of a stretched communications team, a fundraiser managing tough questions, or a programme lead seeking more ethical ways to tell your story, this hour will offer clarity and direction.
Meet the Panel
Riani Singgih is a documentary producer and director working at the intersection of identity, belonging, and global storytelling. Her films question how visual media can shift perceptions without flattening complexity.
Brahmantyo Putra is co-founder of Seven10 Media and Stories of Us. Based in Indonesia, he leads impact-driven campaigns that build powerful local narratives while challenging extractive visual practices.
Kate Moger brings over 20 years of humanitarian and development leadership across Africa. Currently with Adeso and the Pledge for Change, she is an advocate for narrative reform and power-shifting approaches to NGO communications.
David Girling is an Associate Professor at the University of East Anglia’s School of Global Development. His research explores how visual imagery shapes public understanding, fundraising strategy, and development narratives.
Why It Matters Now
In a time of pressure, it’s tempting to focus only on visibility, numbers, and quick wins. But storytelling is not just a marketing function. It is how organisations represent others. It is how they build relationships and demonstrate accountability. Ethical communications are not soft ideals. They are smart, strategic choices: ones that support adaptability, trust, and long-term impact.
FairTalk #14 is an invitation to reimagine storytelling not as an expendable line in the budget, but as a core part of how NGOs stay relevant, respected, and connected to those they serve.
Join us for this timely conversation on the future of ethical fundraising.
Live on 10 June, 5–6pm CET
Register free to attend.
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.