The one-person comms team reality

"I’m pretty much a one-man band," Paul told me, describing a situation I know all too well from my own charity sector experience. As Senior Communications and Events Manager at The London Community Foundation, his role covers everything from social media and website management to events and PR.

The London Community Foundation occupies an interesting space - they’re both a funder and a charity, raising and distributing funds annually to grassroots organisations across London. While their financial turnover looks impressive, Paul explained the reality: "Most of it goes straight out the other door" to the small, local charities they support.

This means that despite the significant responsibility of communicating this work, the operational budget - including resources for communications - is surprisingly modest.

Digital expertise in a fast-moving landscape

One of the most refreshing moments in my conversation with Paul was his candid admission about the challenges of keeping up with digital trends while managing multiple responsibilities.

"The digital world is moving so fast and changing so much that you constantly need to be on top of it," Paul observed. "If you don’t know the things you should be paying attention to or the areas where you might be vulnerable or less effective, then you’re not going to know to ask for those things."

This knowledge gap creates a difficult challenge: how do you effectively manage digital channels when you can’t possibly specialise in everything, and you’re already stretched thin across multiple responsibilities?

The fear of making changes

When Paul first joined The London Community Foundation about two years ago, he inherited a website built by another company.

"I think I had this kind of idea that I needed to get everything perfect in order to make the changes," he shared, describing a mindset I recognise all too well. With limited time and the weight of responsibility, the fear of making mistakes can lead to digital paralysis.

For Paul, a significant breakthrough came when Thomas and Colin and the team at Few and Far encouraged him to take a more iterative approach. "They helped me see that we could implement, evaluate, and adjust - that’s the beauty of digital," he explained.

This shift from perfectionism to a more responsive, evolutionary approach has helped Paul make steady progress despite limited time and resources.

"Why do you want to do that?"

What I found particularly interesting was Paul’s appreciation for being challenged on his ideas. I remember Thomas and Colin and the team at Few and Far doing exactly the same to me when I was a client and I soon realised how valuable it was.

"They push you back a step," Paul shared. "You can come in with all the ideas you want, but they ask 'Why? What are you trying to achieve? What’s the user experience you’re hoping to create?'"

This questioning approach has helped Paul clarify his thinking and often leads to simpler, more effective solutions than his initial ideas.

Digital consultancy, not just implementation

What sets the Nurture Programme apart, according to Paul, is that it goes beyond simply implementing requested changes to specific projects. Instead, it takes a holistic approach - examining the entire digital ecosystem for improvements and opportunities that might otherwise be missed.

"It’s more like having digital consultancy for charities than a traditional client-supplier relationship," Paul noted. This comprehensive perspective means that opportunities for growth and enhancement are identified proactively, rather than waiting for specific requests.

Finding breathing space

For someone juggling multiple priorities, Paul noted that the structure of regular check-ins has helped maintain momentum without overwhelming his schedule.

"What we’ve managed to do is bring more structure to our digital development," he explained. Having seen how Few and Far work with various charities, I've noticed this pattern of creating sustainable rhythms that respect the limited capacity most charity communications teams have.

The direct access to the team has also proven particularly valuable for Paul. "I can just call upon them," he mentioned, describing a recent situation where he reached out with a query completely unrelated to their specific responsibilities. "They understood and had the answer."

This accessibility saves precious time for charity professionals who don’t have the luxury of navigating through layers of account management to get answers.

Beyond technical fixes

What became clear through my conversation with Paul was that digital support for charities isn't just about technical fixes - it’s about creating space to think strategically about digital.

"It feels like they’re part of the team," Paul noted. There’s something about their approach that goes beyond the typical client-supplier relationship.

Small gestures have made a difference too. "The guys will be among the first to chip in on social media when we post about something, even if it’s nothing specifically to do with what we do," Paul shared. "It's a small thing, but it really does make a difference."

For organisations like The London Community Foundation, whose mission is building stronger communities through local action, this understanding of relationship-building resonates deeply with their own values.

A work in progress

Paul’s digital journey with The London Community Foundation is very much ongoing. There are still challenges to overcome and improvements to make, but the iterative approach is yielding steady progress.

What's particularly valuable about hearing Paul’s perspective is its honesty. The digital challenges facing charity communications professionals aren’t easily solved with quick fixes or complete overhauls. Real progress comes through consistent, thoughtful evolution that respects the realities of limited time and resources.

For other charities facing similar challenges, Paul’s experience offers a reassuring perspective - you don't need to do everything at once, and sometimes the most valuable support isn’t just technical expertise but a relationship that creates space for sustainable digital growth.

If you'd like to chat about your charity’s digital challenges, get in touch - we'd love to hear your story.

Challenge, support, and growth: The UK's largest community foundation’s views on the Nurture Programme