Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some of the questions often asked by those new to Pilotlight. If you have a question not answered below or elsewhere on the site, please don't hesitate to contact us.
How are you funded?
Pilotlight strives to be sustainable on member donations. Pilotlighters donate an annual membership to join Pilotlight, enabling us to provide our services to charities absolutely free of charge.
How do I volunteer?
We are always looking for skilled business people from all backgrounds to join us. Please click here to learn more or contact Marlijn Wijkhuizen (Pilotlight London) on 0207 396 7414, Graeme Powrie (Pilotlight Scotland) on 0131 243 2765, or Shantel Irwin (Pilotlight Cymru) on 0795 777 8854.
Do you have to be a Pilotlight member to volunteer?
Usually, yes. As our organisational financial model is based on member donations you do need to be a Pilotlight member to volunteer with Pilotlight. If you have very specific skills that you wish to donate we do have a small number of bursary spaces which we pre-fund from various sources.
Is my charitable organisation eligible to receive help through Pilotlight?
Our priority is to help increase the effectiveness of small charities that are tackling disadvantage. We have learned a lot about where we can be most effective and do have a number of criteria we assess applications against. Please see who can apply under the charities section.
Do you provide money to charities?
No. Pilotlight does not provide monetary support to charities. Charities are also not allowed to fundraise from our Pilotlighters. However, charities have often found that after working with Pilotlight they are more successful in gaining funding because they have concrete business plans to use in applications.
What charities have you helped?
We have worked with over 100 charities to date. To see some examples of the charities we have worked with, please look at the Case Studies section.
Who decides which charities you help?
Our Project Managers assess every charity application in a three-stage process, which involves a telephone conversation, an application form and a meeting.
How quickly do you process applications?
We aim to process all charity applications within one month of receiving them.
How much does it cost to become a Pilotlight member?
The minimum annual donation for an individual member is £1,300. We work with corporate partners, tailoring each programme to suit an organisation's needs. Please contact us to learn more.
What kinds of business expertise do you need?
We have a huge range of skills in our membership base. Our members are senior-level business people with strategic planning skills and general management abilities.