Fundraising research volunteer volunteer roles in manchester
Choice International is a non-profit organisation promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in the UK and overseas. It researches, develops and implements development projects for disabled people and other disadvantaged people in the UK and overseas.
We are seeking a Fundraising Volunteer to support with writing funding proposals, completing funding applications to trusts and foundations as well as contacting corporates for sponsorship for events and one-off projects. You will work form our office based in East London to support with raising funds for our events and organisation in the long term.
Your Key responsibilities will include:
- Assisting with researching and approaching corporate entities, national and international, for event sponsorships, partnerships, Charity of the Year partnerships, and donations from corporate foundations
- Assisting with writing and delivering compelling presentations and proposals for funding to trusts, foundations and other institutes
- Writing emails and speaking with potential partners over the phone about the work of Choice with the aim of securing funds for the organisation.
You will have the following skills and experience:
- A good level of written and oral communication
- Experience of writing funding proposals and working in fundraising would be an advantage
- Knowledge of corporate fundraising techniques including Charity of the Year, sponsorship, donations, marketing would be an advantage
- An ability to present and engage potential partners/sponsors in a compelling way
We are seeking a motivated and talented volunteer to support us in this role.
Working in a small team, you will be supporting Choice Directors, and will have responsibility for corporate, major donor and other fundraising. You will get involved with some of the largest grant funders in the UK, including the Big Lottery, Comic Relief, London Council and others.
The ideal candidate must have good written communication skills, with experience of writing funding proposals, as well as being motivated to develop a career in fundraising for a good cause.
Further, you should be able to work under your own initiative. We provide a wide array of training, development and guidance for our volunteers. Most importantly, you will have the opportunity to support development projects to improve the quality of life of marginalised people.If you are passionate about equality, diversity and international development and keen to gain valuable, hands-on experience, then we would like to hear from you.Please note that this is a voluntary, unpaid position, with a possibility of contributing to the cost of travel from your home to our office.
Please note due to the volume of applications we receive we are unable to respond to all applicants, hence only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
We are currently looking for a new Digital Fundraising Trustee who can use their skills to support our growing charity. We need someone with relevant fundraising experience who thrives as part of a dynamic group of Trustees, who is willing to champion the charity and who values seeing the impact that our work can make
The Digital Fundraising Trustee will participate in all areas of the charity’s governance with a special interest in the fundraising implications of the strategy, governance and support with the Board’s understanding and interpretation.
The Board of Trustees is responsible for the overall governance and strategic direction of the charity, developing the CLAPA’s aims, objectives and goals in accordance with the governing document, legal and regulatory guidelines. You would be joining our board at an exciting time, as we implement our new 5-year strategy for 2025-2030.
The Link to apply is listed in the attached Recruitment Pack or can be accessed via the Redirect to recruiter button.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Using Anonymous Recruitment
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Role Description
We are seeking dedicated innovative thinkers, event superstar planners, and fundraising heroes to join our Events & Fundraising Team at Emerge Worldwide. Our goal is to develop impactful events that generate essential support to protect children and young people from sexual exploitation.
The role will:
- Design and deliver memorable events
- Engage local communities and sponsors
- Promote our mission broadly
- Raise life-changing transformative funds
Your expertise and ideas can help us make an impactful difference to lives.
Join us and contribute to the protection of vulnerable children, young people and women.
What are we looking for?
We’re seeking volunteers with experience in Events - designing, researching, planning, delivery, and Community Engagement. We are also seeking volunteers who have fundraising experience including working around sponsorship.
We are looking for volunteers who have:
● Experience in planning successful events and activities.
● Experience of fundraising in the charity sector is desirable but not essential.
● Reliable, organised with good timekeeping.
● Able to work independently and proactively as well as in a team.
● Clear and confident in communication.
● Excellent working knowledge and comprehension of written English.
What you will gain:
By volunteering with us, you’ll experience the profound impact of helping communities, be part of a movement changing lives across the UK, gain experience in advocacy, and work with a team passionate about protecting children, young people and women against exploitation and trafficking.
Impact of Role
1. Fuelling the Mission
- Every event organised and every pound raised goes directly towards programmes that protect and empower vulnerable children and women.
- Volunteers help generate the funds that allow Emerge Worldwide to deliver training in schools, create resources, and support awareness campaigns.
2. Expanding Reach & Awareness
- Events are not just about money — they also raise the charity’s visibility and influence.
- By helping to plan and run events, volunteers spread the message of exploitation prevention to a wider audience, attracting new supporters and partners.
3. Building Community & Partnerships
- Volunteers help bring people together through fundraising dinners, charity runs, community fairs, and awareness campaigns.
- These events build a sense of shared purpose and create lasting relationships with donors, schools, businesses, and local communities.
4. Creating Memorable Experiences
- With creativity and enthusiasm, volunteers help design fun, inspiring, and impactful events that engage people’s hearts.
- These experiences encourage people to give generously and stay connected to the cause long-term.
5. Sustaining the Charity’s Growth
- By contributing to fundraising targets, volunteers ensure Emerge Worldwide can expand its projects, train more schools, produce more resources, and campaign for systemic change.
- This means their behind-the-scenes efforts translate into life-changing impact for survivors and prevention for those at risk.
We are a welcoming team, dedicated to creating a positive and engaging volunteer experience where you’ll feel valued, inspired, and empowered to bring your ideas to life.
Please note that we will request references, and a DBS check will be required due to the nature of our work.
Raising awareness and prevention on sexual exploitation & sex trafficking. Amplifying our voice until freedom is experienced for all women and girls.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Alex, The Leukodystrophy Charity (Alex TLC) is a small, independent rare disease charity competing for essential resources within an extremely competitive arena.
Like many other small charities, we have grown organically from an informal support group to the recognised voice for leukodystrophy patients and their families. In order to fulfil our charitable objectives we need to increase and sustain our corporate income levels.
Could you spare a few hours a week to help us?
ABOUT THE ROLE
We are looking for volunteers, preferably with corporate fundraising experience to:
• research the corporate giving landscape and the interests of potential donors
• identify potential corporate donors and partners whose corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals align with our mission and values
• approach local and national businesses in person and over the telephone to inform them of the work of Alex TLC
• keep a record of all approaches
Time Commitment
• This role is flexible and can easily fit round your other commitments.
Location of Volunteering
• Homebased
ABOUT YOU
• an interest in Alex TLC and the work that we do
• access to a computer/laptop with an internet connection, and a printer
• basic understanding of the complexities of leukodystrophy
• excellent written skills
• excellent organisational and administrative skills
Benefits to you:
• Meeting and working with new people
• The ability to volunteer around your own commitments
• Learning new skills whilst having fun!
• Adding to your CV
• Helping those affected by leukodystrophies
We can only accept applications from UK residents.
Our Mission is to support anyone affected by leukodystrophy, support research, raise awareness and improve best practice within healthcare systems.
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This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
This role is remote, however, an applicant based in the North of England is desirable, but not a requirement.
Why does this role matter to Human Appeal?
Volunteers are an integral part of Human Appeal’s success. They are the ones that create real change for those most in need. This is your chance to meet new people, gain new skills and experience and have fun whilst being part of a great cause.
We are seeking to recruit an enthusiastic, fast learning North Fundraising Intern to join our growing team at Human Appeal; helping us with admin tasks, recruitment of volunteers for events and online fundraising campaigns, research for various upcoming events and help with general tasks.
Main tasks include:
- § Administrative tasks such as collating data, contacting signups for various challenges, deployments and events.
- § Assist with administrational tasks relating to fundraising
- § Research venues, catering and other fundraising related tasks for upcoming events
- § May be asked to go to occasional events dependent on location
Knowledge/Experience/Skills required:
- § A good understanding of humanitarian relief
- § Effective written and oral communication skills
- § Problem solving skills
- § Ability to prioritise your workload
Benefits of volunteering with us:
- § Experience of operating within the Fundraising department of an international charity
- § Opportunity to develop knowledge and skills in Fundraising
- § Excellent support as part of a friendly team
- § Excellent training opportunities
- § Offer to provide references after 3 months of volunteering
- § Support in developing your CV (should you want it)
- § Opportunities to take part in Human Appeal events
Learning & Development:
To enable you to take part in this opportunity Human Appeal will provide:
- § A detailed induction to provide you with an overview of Human Appeal
- § Training and shadowing providing all the information and skills needed to fulfil the role
- § A dedicated member of staff to provide ongoing support and supervision
- § Payment of “out of pocket” expenses in line with Human Appeal’s expenses policy
- § A volunteer handbook that outlines all of the policies and procedures you will need to be aware of whilst volunteering
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Dive into lasting impact: Fundraise for East London Waterworks Park to create and shape natural swimming ponds, ecological habitats and community gardens
East London Waterworks Park is a volunteer-led charity that has won a 2024 New London Architecture award and raised £2m towards buying land from the Department for Education to transform the 14-acre Thames Water Depot on Lea Bridge Road on the border of Waltham Forest and Hackney, into a new biodiverse park with natural swimming ponds, forest schools and community spaces.
We are creating a fundraising strategy for our next phase of work: an exciting programme of community projects. If you have experience of planning or running fundraising campaigns, we would love to hear from you. Our community-led strategic process, as well as all of our work, is open for everyone to participate in.
The Fundraising Circle currently meets fortnightly on a Thursday evening on Google Meet and spends voluntary time outside of the meeting completing agreed tasks remotely. We understand that people may not have a lot of time to give, so we want to find volunteers who could give us one-off or ongoing strategic advice and support.
If you have experience in writing grants and funding applications, corporate fundraising, philanthropy, or any other aspect of fundraising, it would be great to hear from you.
We are keen fundraisers but we are lacking professional expertise and experience and we would love your help and input. We would welcome one-off advice on the phone or in person, as well as longer term volunteers.
East London Waterworks Park is an exciting and ambitious project that offers many rewarding opportunities for our volunteers. You will have a significant impact on the creation of a new biodiverse community-owned park with free access natural swimming ponds and forest schools.
By leading fundraising projects that explore how diverse professionals (architects, ecologists, web developers, community researchers etc.) collaborate to shape community infrastructure, volunteers will directly contribute to the development of a park that truly reflects the needs and desires of the local community.
Without funding we won’t be able to make it happen. Your input will help us craft experiences that inspire, educate, and engage our service users, stakeholders, funders, and the general public, ultimately driving support for the park's mission and ensuring its long-term sustainability. So you will be directly contributing to the creation of a new biodiverse community-owned park with free access natural swimming ponds.
East London Waterworks Park is a charity campaigning to create a new biodiverse park with natural swimming ponds, forest schools and community spaces



Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Fundraising advisors wanted to support East London Waterworks Park in developing and implementing our fundraising strategy.
East London Waterworks Park is a volunteer-led charity that has won a 2024 New London Architecture award and raised £2m towards buying land from the Department for Education to transform the 14-acre Thames Water Depot on Lea Bridge Road on the border of Waltham Forest and Hackney, into a new biodiverse park with natural swimming ponds, forest schools and community spaces.
If you are a professional fundraiser and would like to help but are short on time, we would love to hear from you even if you are unable to get deeply involved. We would appreciate one-off or ongoing advice on the phone, online or in person. We would welcome feedback on our fundraising strategy and past applications, any advice about trust and grant fundraising, and any other advice you can give.
The Fundraising Circle currently meets fortnightly on a Thursday evening on Google Meet and spends voluntary time outside of the meeting completing agreed tasks remotely. We understand that people may not have a lot of time to give, so we want to find volunteers who could give us one-off or ongoing strategic advice and support.
If you have experience in funding strategy, writing grants for funding applications, corporate fundraising, philanthropy, or any other aspect of fundraising, it would be great to hear from you.
East London Waterworks Park is an exciting and ambitious project that offers many rewarding opportunities for our volunteers. You will have a significant impact on the creation of a new biodiverse community-owned park with free access natural swimming ponds and forest schools.
By leading fundraising projects that explore how diverse professionals (architects, ecologists, web developers, community researchers etc.) collaborate to shape community infrastructure, volunteers will directly contribute to the development of a park that truly reflects the needs and desires of the local community.
Without funding we won’t be able to make it happen. Your input will help us craft experiences that inspire, educate, and engage our service users, stakeholders, funders, and the general public, ultimately driving support for the park's mission and ensuring its long-term sustainability. So you will be directly contributing to the creation of a new biodiverse community-owned park with free access natural swimming ponds.
East London Waterworks Park is a charity campaigning to create a new biodiverse park with natural swimming ponds, forest schools and community spaces



Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Dive into lasting impact: Fundraise for East London Waterworks Park to create and shape natural swimming ponds, ecological habitats and community gardens
East London Waterworks Park is a volunteer-led charity that has won a 2024 New London Architecture award and raised £2m towards buying land from the Department for Education to transform the 14-acre Thames Water Depot on Lea Bridge Road on the border of Waltham Forest and Hackney, into a new biodiverse park with natural swimming ponds, forest schools and community spaces.
Do you have experience organising events, or would you like to get some? Our past fundraising activities have included pub quizzes, a photography competition and exhibition, sale of locally made jeans and more. If you’re buzzing with ideas of how to raise money or are keen to get stuck in and help to make some events happen, we would love to hear from you.
The Fundraising Circle currently meets fortnightly on a Thursday evening on Google Meet and spends voluntary time outside of the meeting completing agreed tasks remotely. We understand that people may not have a lot of time to give, so we want to find volunteers who could give us one-off or ongoing strategic advice and support.
East London Waterworks Park is an exciting and ambitious project that offers many rewarding opportunities for our volunteers. You will have a significant impact on the creation of a new biodiverse community-owned park with free access natural swimming ponds and forest schools.
By leading fundraising projects that explore how diverse professionals (architects, ecologists, web developers, community researchers etc.) collaborate to shape community infrastructure, volunteers will directly contribute to the development of a park that truly reflects the needs and desires of the local community.
Without funding we won’t be able to make it happen. Your input will help us craft experiences that inspire, educate, and engage our service users, stakeholders, funders, and the general public, ultimately driving support for the park's mission and ensuring its long-term sustainability. So you will be directly contributing to the creation of a new biodiverse community-owned park with free access natural swimming ponds.
East London Waterworks Park is a charity campaigning to create a new biodiverse park with natural swimming ponds, forest schools and community spaces



Social Media & Fundraising Volunteer
Support a rare disease charity and build your professional experience
Are you a student or early-career professional looking to gain hands-on experience in social media, communications, and charity work? SLC6A1 Connect UK is seeking a Volunteer to help us grow our online presence and connect with families affected by the rare neurological condition SLC6A1.
This opportunity is available on a short-term basis (for example, 6 months) for those seeking experience, or for individuals interested in making a longer-term contribution to a small rare diseases charity.
What You’ll Do
- Create and schedule engaging social media content across platforms, including LinkedIn
- Help us raise awareness of SLC6A1 and our community’s needs
- Support campaigns, events, and fundraising efforts
- Collaborate with trustees and families to share stories and updates
Why Join Us?
- “The charity gives me hope and comfort that someone is working tirelessly to help find a cure for our children.” - Dan, parent of a six-year-old diagnosed with SLC6A1
- “The charity is the only resource available to myself and my family with knowledge of my son's rare genetic disease. It provides emotional support, in addition to offering relevant information and referrals to other professionals and families. By collaborating through this network, we are better positioned to pursue a cure or treatment.” - Helen, parent of an individual diagnosed with SLC6A1 at the age of 30
- “Volunteering with SLC6A1 Connect UK has given me a sense of purpose and belonging during a journey that can often feel isolating. Being part of this community means connecting with others who truly understand, sharing hope, supporting vital research, and working together to create a better future for our children.”
You’ll be joining a charity that is:
- Led by lived experience
- Focused on impact and innovation
- Ready to grow with your guidance
What We Offer
- Flexible hours to fit around your studies or work
- Mentorship and support from experienced trustees
- A chance to gain experience and references for future employment
- Real impact in a community that needs your voice
FAQs
“I don’t have much time.”
We’re looking for someone who can commit around 2-4 hours per week, but we’re flexible.
“I’ve never worked in a charity before.”
No problem! We’ll support you and help you learn as you go.
This role is advertised as part of TPP's Free Giving Back Services. This volunteer advertisement copy has been supplied to TPP and applicants apply direct to the organisation. Please contact the organisation directly if you have any questions about this volunteer role.
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This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
About Emetophobia Action Charity
Emetophobia Action is a UK-based charity dedicated to supporting individuals affected by emetophobia (the fear of vomiting). We work to raise awareness, provide reliable information, and campaign for better understanding and treatment within healthcare and educational settings.
We are a small but passionate team of clinicians and volunteers striving to make a real difference to those living with this often misunderstood condition.
Role Purpose
As a Fundraiser, you will help us grow our income to expand our reach, awareness campaigns, and events including in person conferences. This is a rewarding opportunity to use your creativity and communication skills to make a lasting impact on people affected by emetophobia.
Key Responsibilities
• Develop and deliver creative fundraising ideas and campaigns (online or community-based).
• Research and apply for small grants, sponsorships, or community funding opportunities.
• Organise or assist with virtual and in-person fundraising events (e.g., sponsored challenges, charity auctions, awareness days, conferences).
• Build relationships with local businesses, donors, and supporters.
• Promote fundraising activities across social media and community networks.
• Work collaboratively with the charity team to track and report fundraising outcomes.
Skills and Experience (Desirable but Not Essential)
• Experience or interest in fundraising, marketing, or communications.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Organised, reliable, and self-motivated.
• Confident using email, social media, and online fundraising platforms.
• A creative mindset and enthusiasm for generating new ideas.
• Passion for mental health advocacy and supporting those with emetophobia.
What You’ll Gain
• Valuable experience in charity fundraising and community engagement.
• The opportunity to make a meaningful difference for people affected by emetophobia.
• Flexible volunteering to fit around your commitments.
• Support, guidance, and recognition from a friendly and understanding team.
• References and certificates to recognise your contribution.
How to Apply
Please send a brief cover letter outlining your interest and any relevant experience. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and lived experiences, including those with personal experience of emetophobia or anxiety disorders.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Evolve is a respected charitable provider of low-cost mental health counselling.
Committed to making our services accessible to all, we are starting an ambitious new project to expand our online and face-to-face counselling, developing innovative ways for people to get help when and where they need it most.
Evolve is looking for a long-term volunteer to help coordinate the efforts of the team and to deliver on specific aspects of the innovative project:
- Market research
- Project management
- Product development
- Sales promotion
- Fundraising support
Ideally, you’ll be experienced in all aspects of marketing techniques. While specific familiarity with charities or not-for-profits similar to Evolve, isn’t essential, it would be great if you understand place-based retail, medical or health & wellbeing markets.
The position is fully remote, flexible hours to suit you. It’s voluntary, but expenses will be covered for essential travel or other costs. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK and must be resident in the UK.
This is an exciting and rewarding opportunity. Evolve provides a wide range of therapies to private customers and corporate clients experiencing mental health difficulties, mainly through remote calls but with a good deal of face-to-face work. We have over 45 BACP registered counsellors on our team, and our mission is to deliver the lowest cost counselling to those who need it most. As a charity, our surpluses are reinvested to deliver this mission. For a full description of Evolve Counselling and the wide range of services we offer please see our website.
Early application is encouraged. We will review on a rolling basis.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
About Lucas Helps Dogs
Lucas Helps Dogs is a volunteer run charity working in Sri Lanka to reduce the suffering of street and community dogs and cats. We run spay and neuter clinics, provide rabies vaccinations, emergency treatment, and daily meals to street dogs and cats. We also deliver educational programmes in schools to teach kindness to animals and responsible pet care.
We’re currently looking for a Volunteer Grant Writer to help us secure vital funding so we can continue and expand our work for animals in need.
About the Role
As our Grant Writer, you’ll help identify suitable grant opportunities and prepare well-researched funding applications to support our animal welfare projects. You’ll work closely with our founder to understand the charity’s goals, gather information, and develop strong proposals that demonstrate our impact and vision.
This role is perfect for someone who enjoys writing and research, wants to gain experience in fundraising, or is passionate about improving the lives of animals.
Key Responsibilities
-
Research potential grants, trusts, and foundations that align with our mission
-
Write clear, compelling funding proposals and supporting documents
-
Maintain a calendar of grant deadlines and track submissions
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Help develop a case for support and collect information for applications
-
Review feedback from funders to improve future submissions
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Collaborate remotely with our small, friendly team
What We’re Looking For
-
Strong writing, research, and communication skills
-
Attention to detail and good organisational skills
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Ability to work independently and meet deadlines
-
Interest in animal welfare and compassion for dogs
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Experience in grant writing or charity fundraising
What We Offer
-
The chance to make a direct impact for animals in need
-
Experience in grant writing and charity fundraising
-
A flexible, supportive, and friendly volunteer team
-
A reference after 3 months of volunteering
-
The opportunity to use your skills for meaningful change
Time Commitment: 2–5 hours per week, flexible schedule
Location: Remote – you can volunteer from anywhere
Commitment: Ideally 3 months or more
How to Apply
If you’d like to use your writing skills to make a real difference for dogs and cats in Sri Lanka, we’d love to hear from you!
Please send a short email outlining your interest and any relevant experience
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
We're building tech to predict employee burnout. We're bootstrapping painfully. Need someone who knows UK grants and has fundraising contacts to help us actually fund this.
The Situation
We're building a platform that predicts employee burnout 2-4 weeks before it happens. We have psychologists, tech people, and a working plan. What we don't have is money.
We're bootstrapping. Every penny is coming from the founders. We need someone who can help us find UK grants, foundations, and funding sources so we can:
- Hire developers properly (not Upwork disasters)
- Pay for proper infrastructure
- Move faster than our current painful pace
- Actually pay people who deserve to be paid
What We Need You To Do
Find money. Simple as that.
Specifically:
- Research UK grants for mental health tech, employee wellbeing, innovation, social enterprise
- Write grant applications that don't sound like AI wrote them
- Identify foundations that fund this kind of thing
- Use your network to open doors we can't open ourselves
- Advise on fundraising strategy - what's realistic for a pre-revenue startup
Current State:
- MVP launching December 2025 (yes, this year)
- Pre-revenue but have pilot companies interested
- Strong team (psychologists, AI/ML, CTO, UX)
- Evidence-based approach (not wellness fluff)
- Desperate for £20-100K+ to do this properly
Your Tasks
Weeks 1-2: Research & Strategy
- Map UK funding landscape for our sector
- Identify 15-20 realistic grant opportunities
- Prioritize by fit, timing, amount
- Create application timeline
Weeks 3-6: Write & Submit
- Draft grant applications (we'll help with technical content)
- Tailor each one (no copy-paste jobs)
- Submit before deadlines
- Follow up where needed
Weeks 7-12: Network & Cultivate
- Connect us with foundation contacts
- Attend relevant funding events (if any)
- Build relationships for future rounds
- Advise on corporate partnerships
Time commitment: 3 hrs/day first month (heavy research/writing), then 2 hrs/day ongoing
Why This Role Matters
Right now we're:
- Trying to find developers we can afford
- Using AI coding tools because we can't hire proper devs
- Moving slower than we should
- Stressing about infrastructure costs
With proper funding we could:
- Hire a full-stack developer (£40-60K would change everything)
- Pay for proper hosting and tools
- Run a real pilot with multiple companies
- Pay our psychologists for their time
- Move from "painful bootstrap" to "actual startup"
Your work could literally determine whether this launches properly or limps along.
Who We're Looking For
Someone who:
- Knows UK funding - grants, foundations, social enterprise funding
- Can write - applications that get approved, not rejected
- Has contacts - someone at a foundation might actually take your call
- Gets startups - understands we're scrappy and pre-revenue
- Cares about mental health - this isn't just a box-ticking exercise
Experience we actually need:
- 3+ years in grant writing or fundraising (charity or social enterprise)
- Track record of successful applications (tell us what you've won)
- Understanding of UK funding landscape
- Can write persuasively without corporate waffle
- Comfortable with tech/innovation projects (or willing to learn)
Bonus points:
- Experience with Innovate UK, UKRI, Wellcome Trust, mental health funders
- Network in impact investing or social finance
- Previous startup fundraising experience
- Understanding of NHS/health sector funding
What You Get
Be honest about what we can offer:
- Equity: If you help us raise significant funds (£50K+), we'll discuss equity
- Commission: Could arrange success-based payment (e.g., 5-10% of funds raised)
- Experience: Real fundraising experience you can put on your CV
- References: If you're good, we'll recommend you everywhere
- Network: Connect with our team and pilot companies
- Impact: Help us actually fund mental health prevention (not just talk about it)
This could be paid eventually. Right now we need someone who believes in the mission enough to help us get the resources to make it happen.
The Team
You'd work with:
- Founder (that's me (Don Diffang)- doing everything, need help with funding)
- Chief Behavioral Psychologist (evidence base for grants)
- Occupational Psychologist (workplace wellbeing expertise)
- CTO (technical bits for applications)
- Business Development person (partnerships)
Small team. No bureaucracy. Everyone's hands-on.
Timeline
November-December: Heavy research and first wave of applications January-February: Ongoing applications and relationship building March onwards: Either you've helped us raise money or we're still bootstrapping
Flexible hours. Most work is solo (research/writing) with weekly check-ins.
Success Looks Like
Minimum viable success:
- 10-15 applications submitted to relevant funders
- Clear funding pipeline for next 6-12 months
- Connections made with 3-5 foundations/funders
- At least 2-3 applications that have a real shot
Actual success:
- £20-50K raised in next 3-6 months
- £50-100K+ raised in next year
- Sustainable funding strategy in place
- Relationships built for future rounds
Dream scenario:
- Major grant or investment secured
- You becoming our part-time paid fundraising lead
- Proper funding to launch and scale
Why Not Paid?
Because we don't have money. That's literally why we need you.
If we had £50K lying around, we wouldn't be posting volunteer roles - we'd be hiring developers.
But: if you help us raise funds, we'll pay you from those funds (success fee or salary). And equity is definitely on the table for someone who helps us break out of bootstrap mode.
What We Promise
We won't:
- Waste your time on applications that have no chance
- Give you fluffy "brand guidelines" instead of real content
- Micromanage your writing
- Disappear when you need information
We will:
- Be realistic about our chances
- Provide all technical/impact content you need
- Respond fast to questions
- Give you credit when grants succeed
- Discuss equity/payment when funding comes in
Current Funding Landscape (What We Know)
We've identified a few areas but need expert help:
- Innovate UK: Smart Grants for innovation (maybe?)
- UKRI: Mental health research angle
- Wellcome Trust: Mental health innovation
- Big Lottery/National Lottery: Community wellbeing
- Health Foundation: Workplace health
- Mental Health Foundation: Prevention focus
- Social investment: If we structure right
- Corporate foundations: Companies with wellbeing focus
But we don't know:
- Which ones we're actually eligible for
- How to position ourselves (charity? social enterprise? tech startup?)
- What our chances realistically are
- Who to talk to
- How to write applications that work
That's where you come in.
To Apply
Tell us:
- Your track record (be specific)
- What grants have you won?
- How much money have you raised?
- What sectors/causes?
- Your knowledge of UK funding
- Which funders would you target first for us?
- Why?
- Your network
- Any contacts at foundations/funding bodies?
- Any that might be relevant to mental health/wellbeing tech?
- Your availability
- Can you commit 2-3 hrs/day for 8-12 weeks starting now?
- Would you want equity vs. success fee vs. future salary?
- One question for us
Attach your CV with fundraising successes highlighted.
P.S. If you've raised money before and you're between roles or have spare time, this could be perfect. Help us get off the ground properly and we'll remember it (with equity and paid work when we can).
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Dive into lasting impact: Fundraise for East London Waterworks Park to create and shape natural swimming ponds, ecological habitats and community gardens
East London Waterworks Park is a volunteer-led charity that has won a 2024 New London Architecture award and raised £2m towards buying land from the Department for Education to transform the 14-acre Thames Water Depot on Lea Bridge Road on the border of Waltham Forest and Hackney, into a new biodiverse park with natural swimming ponds, forest schools and community spaces.
If you would like to help us develop our digital fundraising and our online offer, would you like to join our fundraising and communications teams in creating and implementing a strategy? We would love to hear from anyone with experience of fundraising online or with enthusiasm and a desire to test things out and learn as you go along. Recently we raised over half a million pounds through our Crowdfunder. Now we are looking to create a sustainable medium term income stream online.
The Fundraising Circle currently meets fortnightly on a Thursday evening on Google Meet and spends voluntary time outside of the meeting completing agreed tasks remotely. We understand that people may not have a lot of time to give, so we want to find volunteers who could give us one-off or ongoing strategic advice and support.
If you have experience in writing grants and funding applications, corporate fundraising, philanthropy, or any other aspect of fundraising, it would be great to hear from you.
We are keen fundraisers but we are lacking professional in digital fundraising expertise and experience and we would love your help and input. We would welcome one-off advice on the phone or in person, as well as longer term volunteers.
East London Waterworks Park is an exciting and ambitious project that offers many rewarding opportunities for our volunteers. You will have a significant impact on the creation of a new biodiverse community-owned park with free access natural swimming ponds and forest schools.
By leading fundraising projects that explore how diverse professionals (architects, ecologists, web developers, community researchers etc.) collaborate to shape community infrastructure, volunteers will directly contribute to the development of a park that truly reflects the needs and desires of the local community.
Without funding we won’t be able to make it happen. Your input will help us craft experiences that inspire, educate, and engage our service users, stakeholders, funders, and the general public, ultimately driving support for the park's mission and ensuring its long-term sustainability. So you will be directly contributing to the creation of a new biodiverse community-owned park with free access natural swimming ponds.
East London Waterworks Park is a charity campaigning to create a new biodiverse park with natural swimming ponds, forest schools and community spaces



Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Volunteer Role: Trusts and Foundations
We were set up to transform the former Edward Hain hospital, in St Ives, Cornwall, into a community centre for health and wellbeing. The hospital was founded in 1920, with funds from the Cornish Hain Steamship Company. When it closed n 2021, our community, led by the hospital’s League of Friends, came together to save the building for the town. Now it brings together much needed health and wellbeing services, along with social, community and welfare support, all under one roof.
About the role
We are looking for volunteers to help us raise funds from Trusts and Foundations. Grants, such the one we secured from National Lottery, already help keep us open all year. Although previous experience in grant writing would be welcomed, it is absolutely not required. More important are your enthusiasm and desire to help local people. ideally, you will be able to volunteer at least one or two days a month on a regular basis and preferably have access to a computer.
What’s involved?
· Drafting and submitting funding applications with help and support from our team.
· Working with other volunteers and staff to identify new funding opportunities.
· Researching grant-making bodies, trusts, and foundations that can fund the Centre.
The role will suit you if you
· Are comfortable with a computer.
· Have good written communication skills.
· Want to help local residents thrive.
· Can pay attention to detail and follow funder guidelines.
We will support you with
· An induction to volunteering for Edward Hain
· Training and briefings on how trusts and foundations fundraising.
· Coaching on how to draft and submit applications, supported with tools and templates.
- Occasional meetings at the Centre with other volunteers and staff.
We are looking for up to five regular volunteers. There is also an opportunity for significant coaching and development for those interested in pursuing jobs in this field in the longer term and wanting to use this role to develop the necessary skills. For more information contact:
Claire Jefferies Community Hub Officer
Our mission is to provide affordable and accessible health, well-being and community services for St. Ives and surrounding areas, across all ages.



The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.


