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By Harvey Duthie, Belmont Fundraising Ltd., 6 March 2026 When I wrote earlier this year that 2026 would be a pivotal year for Catholic diocesan fundraising in the UK and Ireland, I sensed momentum building. In the months since, that sense has only strengthened. Across the UK and Ireland there are quiet but important tailwinds emerging for Catholic parishes and causes. Not dramatic ones. But real ones. And they matter. Part of the reason is that the wider fundraising landscape

Reflections from The Humanitarian Finance Summit, London   Last week, leaders gathered in London against the backdrop of a stark reality: global humanitarian funding is projected to drop by as much as   $25 billion this year . The numbers are sobering. Jobs have been cut at an unprecedented scale. Frontline services are contracting. Hard-won development gains are under strain. From where we sit, working alongside Belmont Fundraising partners  in London, Uganda, Dublin, Rome,

By Harvey Duthie, CEO, Belmont Fundraising As we get ready to attend The Humanitarian Finance Summit we reflected again on the fact that if Davos 2026 confirmed anything, it is that the humanitarian sector is no longer navigating a funding cycle — it is navigating a structural break. Last year’s Global Humanitarian Assistance data already told the story many organisations were reluctant to fully internalise: the era of dependable aggregate growth in humanitarian funding is o

By Harvey Duthie, CEO, Belmont Fundraising Ltd.   University philanthropy across the UK and Ireland enters 2026 in a demanding but decisive phase. Ambition remains high. Donor appetite for impact is real. Advancement teams are more professional than at any point in the sector’s history. Yet the operating environment is less forgiving. Cost inflation, political scrutiny, reputational risk, and structural pressures on higher education funding mean universities can no longer aff

By Harvey Duthie, CEO, Belmont Fundraising As I prepare my talking points for a discussion with the Kenyan Association of Fundraising Professionals on Thursday, I’ve had time to reflect on what Davos 2026  really means for global aid funding. Not the headlines, not the photo opportunities—but the underlying signals that matter for anyone trying to mobilise resources for development, health, food systems, or humanitarian response. Given the scale of global uncertainty, expecta

12 January 2026 A critical moment for School Fundraising For more than 20 years, Harvey Duthie , CEO of Belmont Fundraising , has advised schools across the UK and Ireland on how to build sustainable philanthropic income. Over that time, he has seen fundraising move from a peripheral activity to a defining factor in institutional resilience. What is striking in 2026 is not just the scale of the challenges facing schools — but the clarity of the solution. The conditions for ef

By Harvey Duthie, CEO, Belmont Fundraising Limited I have spent more than twenty years working extensively in Catholic diocesan fundraising across the UK. Over that period, I have supported seven dioceses, collaborated with Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops and senior curial teams, advised hundreds of parishes - clergy and lay leaders, and been directly involved in raising more than £120 million for Catholic causes. That experience matters not as a credential, but because it br

- Fewer Donors, Bigger Gifts, Higher Stakes Fundraisers in the UK and Ireland are entering 2026 facing tightening donor markets, fragile household finances, and more concentrated philanthropic income. But the data does not only point to challenge. It also points clearly to where organisations can win —and which strategies will allow fundraising teams to grow income, increase resilience, and deepen donor commitment in a changing landscape. If 2020–2025 was a period defined by

Over the last ~36 months, global humanitarian and development aid have experienced what appears to be a structural turning point — not just a temporary wobble. According to a selection of the latest data: The ALNAP Global Humanitarian Assistance (GHA) report shows total international humanitarian assistance dropped by almost US $5 billion in 2024  — the largest single-year decline on record. Projections suggest that public donor funding could have fallen by 34–45% in 2025 co

As we enter the final stretch of 2025, many organisations are anxiously wondering: How can we position our fundraising to hit the ground sprinting in January? The truth is that high-performance fundraising years don’t start in January — they start now. November and December offer a unique combination of donor energy, internal momentum, and market opportunity that, if used strategically, can transform the first quarter of 2026 from a “recovery period” into an acceleration lan

Harvey Duthie, CEO, Belmont Fundraising Ltd., 29 October 2025 Here at Belmont Fundraising was are big fans of Altrata and their Billionaire Census 2025 is another report which delivers valuable insights for front-line fundraisers. This edition reveals that the global billionaire population has grown 5.6%, reaching a record 3,508 individuals with combined wealth of $13.4 trillion. Europe — now home to over 1,000 billionaires — continues to see solid growth, with the UK ranking

Harvey Duthie, CEO, Belmont Fundraising Ltd., 9 July 2025 As always, the CASE Insights Report (UK & Ireland 2023–2024) offers a data-rich snapshot of philanthropy’s evolving role in higher education. Despite economic headwinds and shifting donor behaviour, one headline figure stands out: a record-breaking £1.52 billion in new funds committed across 83 institutions. Belmont Fundraising congratulates everyone in Development Offices across the UK and Ireland, and the many genero