{"podcast":{"title":"Inside Grantmaking","slug":"inside-grantmaking-7851107","podcast_index_feed_id":7851107,"rss_url":"https://feed.podbean.com/Insidegrantmaking/feed.xml","website_url":"https://www.kedaconsulting.co.uk/inside-grantmaking","image_url":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/22285859/Untitled_2048_x_2048_px.png","author":"Alex Blake","episode_count":4,"summary":"Many charity leaders and fundraisers submit funding applications and then wonder what happens to them. Who receives it? How do they react to it? How is it assessed? What due diligence is there? Who makes the final decision? Host Alex Blake — a fundraising consultant with over 20 years of experience helping charities secure major grants — speaks to foundation staff, trustees and advisors who share insight into how grantmakers operate and why. They also share their thinking on the bigger questions shaping the sector — how grantmaking practice is evolving, what funders are grappling with, and where philanthropy is heading. The conversations are honest, practical, and respectful of everyone involved. Better understanding on both sides of the table is good for charities, good for funders, and good for the communities both exist to serve. If you work in fundraising, lead a charity, or make decisions about grants, this is for you. Follow Inside Grantmaking and if you enjoy the show, a review would be a great help in reaching a wider audience. Connect with Alex on LinkedIn or www.kedaconsulting.co.uk.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-22T14:17:39.924403+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/inside-grantmaking-7851107"},"episode":{"title":"A Grantmaking Masterclass from a Specialist Funder, with Alex Jacobs, Director of the Joffe Trust","slug":"a-grantmaking-masterclass-from-a-specialist-funder-with-alex-jacobs-director-of-the-joffe-trust","published_at":"2026-07-22T05:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/inside-grantmaking-7851107/a-grantmaking-masterclass-from-a-specialist-funder-with-alex-jacobs-director-of-the-joffe-trust","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/inside-grantmaking-7851107","url":"https://www.kedaconsulting.co.uk/2026/06/17/joffe-trust-grantmaking-practice-alex-jacobs","audio_url":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/iiwdmiikzrpa6cwn/riverside_pod_with_alex_jacobs_inside_grantmaking6oc71.mp3","summary":"Alex Jacobs, Director of the Joffe Trust, joins Alex Blake for a close look at how a small, specialist funder actually makes grantmaking decisions. Alex walks through the Trust's two-stage process, from a simple four-paragraph inquiry through to a full application, and the one question, \"who do you want to do what?\", that does more to separate strong proposals from weak ones than anything else they ask. He explains how the staff team assesses applications before they reach the board, why the board overturns staff recommendations roughly 10-20% of the time, and what that says about good governance. The conversation also covers the Trust's approach to grantee relationships, including a commitment to substantial feedback on every report within a month, and how the Trust uses convening to bring funders, civil society, and government into the same conversation. This episode is a useful listen for anyone wanting a practical look at how a specialist funder structures its process, assesses applications, and builds long-term relationships with the organisations it funds.","meta_description":"Alex Jacobs, Director of the Joffe Trust, joins Alex Blake for a close look at how a small, specialist funder actually makes grantmaking decisions. Alex w…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2001,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/inside-grantmaking-7851107/episodes/a-grantmaking-masterclass-from-a-specialist-funder-with-alex-jacobs-director-of-the-joffe-trust/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/inside-grantmaking-7851107/a-grantmaking-masterclass-from-a-specialist-funder-with-alex-jacobs-director-of-the-joffe-trust.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}