Develop your charitable organisation on the Pilotlight Programme
Supporting charity leaders to think strategically and plan for sustainability.
For over 17 years our Pilotlight Programme has been helping charity and social enterprise leaders and their boards develop the skills they need to thrive. Over 10 months the programme sees you work with a dedicated team of four senior leaders (we call them Pilotlighters) from a range of private, public, and charity sector organisations. Together, they coach you and your organisation's leadership through the strategic challenges and opportunities you face. A Pilotlight Project Manager facilitates meetings, drives for outcomes, and takes care of all the administration.
Our Pilotlighters pay a donation to participate, enabling us to offer the programme free to charities and social enterprises.
The Pilotlight Programme exceeded my expectations and has been an invaluable process for me. I’m not sure if I’d still be CEO without the Pilotlight Programme.Sarah Jones CEO, Mencap Liverpool & Sefton
The support over the last year has been invaluable. The sessions have helped me identify some key operational improvements and commit to implementing those changes. Improvements I’m confident will make a huge difference to our performance and ultimately benefit our beneficiaries.Gavin Hawkey Director, Cardiff City FC Community Foundation
We now have the tools to create real growth which is so exciting.Elaine Cook CEO, Devon Communities Together
From the outset I remember thinking, “What will make the Pilotlighters the right people to provide support? What are they going to be like?” I was hoping for an analytical, outside perspective, and that’s what I got. I felt from the first meeting that everyone was on the same page.Stephen Elsden CEO, Compaid
How it works
Over two-hourly meetings once a month*, together with the Pilotlighters, you will create between 2-4 project aims you will work to achieve. These are responsive to your organisation’s needs and can include: vision and mission setting; governance and leadership development; strategic business planning; away day planning/facilitation; income diversification; improved impact measurement.
At the end of the programme you could have created a robust future-looking strategy, a refreshed governance structure, revised vision & mission statements or an action plan for key operational improvements.
As our support is free of charge, we expect charity leaders to commit at least a day a month for the length of the engagement, though the more time you and your organisation can put in, the more you’ll get out of it. We also expect your board of trustees to be fully engaged with the programme and for the Chair to attend meetings with the charity leader where possible.
*All meetings are currently taking place virtually over Zoom.
WHAT KINDS OF ORGANISATIONS WE'RE LOOKING FOR
Our programmes work best when working with organisations that are open to change and challenge. They are open to leaders of any charity or social enterprise registered in the UK that tackles social disadvantage.
We do not work with organisations that discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, or any other similar categories or organisations who proselytise to service users. Organisations working with predominately BAME service users or addressing issues in BAME community are encouraged to apply.
The Pilotlight Programme is most successful when working with:
Organisations that:
- are open to and embrace change and challenge
- have a turnover of between £100K and £5m
- have been delivering services for at least 2 years
- have at least one full-time, paid leadership position
- are able to demonstrate a degree of financial stability to engage in the Pilotlight process
Leaders who:
- have been in position for at least 6 months
- have the capacity to dedicate time to the programme
Please scroll down for our FAQs.
Impact
90%
At the end of the programme, 90% of charity leaders have increased confidence in their role
36%
Two years on charities have, on average increased their reach by 36%
40%
Two years after the programme charities have, on average, increased their income by 40%
Current Charity Partners
Through our various programmes we are currently working with the following charities and social enterprises.
Need More info?
Download our FAQs
Take a look at our most frequently asked questions on the Pilotlight Programme for more detail on how it works.
Stories from the programme
