Michelle Benson has worked in fundraising for over 30 years. Initially, as a fundraiser and Development Director, until 2012 when she joined a trust fund.

Working on the funding side of the fence, Michelle created joint funds with other trust funds, HNWIs and CSR teams.

As a funder all the funds Michelle worked on where closed and did not accept applications, Michelle and her fellow funders proactively found the charities they wished to fund.

In March 2018, Michelle set up her own business; “Culture of Philanthropy”, to help charities of all sizes and causes around the world to grow their income – by being found by high value funders who are proactively looking.

Michelle runs online training courses for individual fundraisers (and fundraising teams), on how to use LinkedIn strategically to find, engage and start relationships with funders online to take offline to an ask.

Michelle has helped hundreds of fundraisers to successfully use LinkedIn, so funders come to them, especially closed funders like philanthropists and their advisors, CSR teams and closed trust funds.

When fundraisers struggle to get in front of decision makers, Michelle helps them to solve that problem - because although the offline world is designed to keep you out, the online world is designed to connect you.

As well as teaching charities how to be found by funders, she still works with high value funders who want to proactively find charities to invest in.