Freelance Fundraiser

Job description

Kingston Bereavement Support is a friendly local charity that provides face to face counselling for children, young people and adults grieving the death of a person close to them. We are well placed to deliver this support, having provided specialist bereavement counselling in the Kingston community since 1988. We are partially funded by the local council and have strong referral pathways with GPs, schools and social services. Our model uses specially trained local volunteer counsellors, offering good value for money while supporting the development of skilled practitioners. As our services are available for free we ensure there is no financial barrier to accessing this support.

We are now looking for a part-time freelance Fundraiser to help secure and grow the income that makes this work possible.

Hybrid - remote working with occasional visits to the office in Kingston as needed (office is a 5 minute walk from Kingston train station, Greater London).

The Role

As a key player in our close-knit team, you ll enjoy genuine autonomy and high visibility. You will take ownership of fundraising and income generation, ensuring we have the resources to sustain and grow our impact.
Initially, your main focus will be grant fundraising whilst also working with the Trustees to develop a comprehensive fundraising strategy including mid and long term initiatives.

The ideal candidate will:

- Have a good understanding of the current fundraising landscape and the different types of fundraising activities

- Be skilled and experienced in identifying and securing funding from trusts and foundations

- Have the ability to write high-quality compelling funding applications

- Have experience building and maintaining a pipeline of funding opportunities

- Have excellent communication skills, able to work closely and collaboratively with colleagues, Trustees, and external stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Grant Fundraising

Identify and secure funding from trusts, foundations and statutory bodies

Write high-quality, compelling funding applications

Build and manage a strong prioritised pipeline of funding opportunities

Maintain relationships with funders, including reporting and stewardship

Other income sources

Assess, prioritise and implement alternative fundraising activities including, for example, local fundraising events and community & individual fundraising initiatives.

Strategy, Compliance & Reporting

Develop and deliver a clear fundraising strategy aligned to organisational goals

Track performance against targets and provide insight

Ensure all fundraising is compliant with regulations and best practice

Represent the charity externally with confidence and credibility

Working with internal and external stakeholders

Work closely with colleagues across the organisation to gather impact data and develop compelling cases for support

Work closely with Trustees to develop budgets for funding proposals

Act as a key ambassador for Kingston Bereavement Support with funders and external stakeholders

Person Specification

Essential skills and experience:

1. Proven track record of securing five- figure grants from trusts and foundations

2. Excellent relationship- building and communication skills, able to work closely and collaboratively with colleagues, Trustees, and external stakeholders.

3. Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to develop persuasive and compelling funding applications

4. Strong prospect research and pipeline development skills

5. An understanding of the fundraising landscape nationwide and in the London Boroughs as relevant

6. Familiarity with fundraising activities alternative to grants

7. A proactive approach, with the ability to spot opportunities and drive activity forward

8. Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines

Desirable, but not essential:

1. Experience securing six-figure and/or multi-year grants

2. Knowledge of the mental health sector

3. Experience contributing to fundraising strategy