Applications close Mon 6th July
A summer that rebuilds your fundraising. On us.
Thread is giving 10 small UK charities free lifetime access to our fundraising platform — plus a summer of unlimited AI and an eight-week build programme. The full package is worth over £10,000.
Want to know more about the platform?
In this video Craig shares some of the key features and functionality so you can see if it would be helpful to you and your charity. If you want to know more, get in touch and we'll be happy to answer any questions.
The problem we're solving
Small charities are doing world-class work with tools that hold them back.
Under-resourced, over-stretched, and priced out of agency support — relying on spreadsheets and a stack of subscriptions that don't talk to each other. The result is poor donor journeys, low retention, and fundraising that punches well below its weight.
Disconnected tools
Mailchimp here, Buffer there, Typeform somewhere else — £500–£1,000+ a year in subscriptions that never join up.
No automation
A new donor gives, and what happens next is usually nothing. No welcome, no thank-you journey, no second ask.
No agency budget
Professional fundraising support sits behind a price tag small charities simply can't reach.
One platform, everything in one place
The Thread platform replaces your whole fundraising stack.
Free to access, pay only for what you use. Built with AI and automation at its core.
Website & landing pages
AI-powered builder, free to use and genuinely easy.
Email sender
One-off sends and automated journeys. ~£1 per 1,000 emails.
SMS & WhatsApp
Transparent rate card. Pay per send, no lock-in.
Donation pages
Mobile-optimised, Stripe-integrated, no Thread markup.
Supporter journeys
Welcome series, thank-yous and retention flows on autopilot.
Forms, surveys & quizzes
Capture data and embed it straight onto your site.
Chatbots
For your website, socials or an out-of-hours phone service.
AI Fundraising Toolkit
Free to use, always. Drafts, ideas and copy on demand.
Social posting & generation
Plan, create and publish — replaces Buffer and Drip.
Bring Mailchimp, Buffer, Typeform and the rest into one place — easier to run, and a stack that finally talks to itself. Platform access and the AI toolkit stay free beyond the summer; pay-as-you-go usage (email, SMS) applies after the cohort.
The eight-week build programme
You won't be handed software and left to it.
Selected charities get an intensive eight-week programme of live training and unlimited AI access — so you leave with a complete fundraising operation, not a blank canvas. Each week builds on the last.
Setting up the platform
Integrating Stripe & social accounts
Email & your first supporter journey
Forms & embedding them on your site
Building a landing page or new website
Email campaigns & communications
Reporting, data & optimisation
Showcase — share what you've built
Sessions are live webinars, recorded for catch-up. Can't make some? No problem — as long as you complete the onboarding by the end of September 2026, you're fine.
Who it's for
Built for small UK charities ready to build.
- Annual income under £1 million
- At least one person who can attend weekly sessions and make changes
- A genuine need to build or improve digital fundraising
- Willing to replace existing tools (Mailchimp, Buffer and the like)
Charities with very low income (under ~£50,000) may find the platform isn't the right fit yet — though you're welcome to tell us why we're wrong.
The one commitment we ask
To keep your lifetime free platform access, complete the training and set up one webpage, automation or email journey by the end of September 2026.
We've extended the deadline beyond the summer to allow for holidays — so there's no pressure to rush. We just want the platform used, so we don't waste your time or ours.
How to apply
Four or five questions. A few minutes. Places are limited.
A small number of finalists may be invited to a brief call. Didn't make this cohort? We'll hold a waiting list for Cohort 2 in autumn 2026.
Apply
Answer a short form below. Closes Mon 6th July 2026.
We review
We read every application and may invite finalists to a quick call.
Winners announced
Wednesday 8th July 2026 — the 10 founding charities are confirmed.
Build your summer
Onboard, join the programme, and go live. Complete by end of September.
Join the live webinar
Thursday 25 June 2026 · 1:00pm
We'll walk through the offer, what you get, and exactly how to apply — then answer anything you throw at us.
Stitching supporter-first fundraising into every campaign. Expert people, proven blueprints, and smart tech to grow income and wow donors.
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