Fundraising Manager (grants focus)

The Stuart Low Trust (SLT) is a well-respected and award-winning charity based in Islington supporting people who experience mental health issues and socially isolated.  SLT was created to be radically different from other mental health charities – uniquely accessible, inclusive and community-embedded. You will be joining a small friendly team, where we care about staff wellbeing.  We believe in trusting the expertise of our staff and giving them the freedom to thrive with regular help on hand when needed. 

We support over 500 adults per year through social groups -  creative arts, nature-based activities, wellbeing workshops and peer support.  90% of participants report improved mental health and wellbeing. 

Why Join Us?  
This is an opportunity to play an important role in a small but impactful charity.  Your work will directly enable adults experiencing isolation to access safe, creative and life-affirming activities. Perfect for someone who thrives in a small charity where you can see the impact of your work every week. 

Who we are seeking 
We are seeking a Fundraising Manager, who enjoys writing grant applications and building strong relationships with supporters. Working closely with the Chief Executive, you will have a primary focus working on our trusts and foundations pipeline, while generating around 10% of total income from other sources. We are realistic what is possible in 21 hours per week! 

We are seeking a fundraiser who combines: 

• A strong track record securing trust and foundation income 
• Excellent bid-writing skills 
• Experience generating income beyond trusts (corporate, community or individual) 
• Comfortable working autonomously in a small team 
• Experience in a mental health organisation or small charity is desirable but not essential.  

Summary role description 

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive, you will: 

Lead Trusts and Foundations Income 

• Develop a pipeline of grant funders to apply to. 
• Write compelling, high-quality applications.. 
• Deepen funder relationships to secure repeat grants. 

Raise income from other sources 

Work with the Chief Executive to generate income from other sources with a realistic and achievable target of 10% total income via:  

• Corporate partnerships in Islington, King’s Cross tech, creative industries and the City. 
• Community and individual giving, especially among affluent local residents. 

Build sustainable systems to support fundraising 

• ​Strengthen stewardship journeys including donor tracking systems and explore use of AI tools. 
• Contribute to fundraising communications and our profile-building. 

Why this Role is Different 
You will be stepping into an organisation in a strong position to build on: 

• Multi-year funding security (63% of next year’s income already secured through multi-year grants, 4 months’ free reserves, annual income circa £250k). 
• Trusted funders include City Bridge Foundation, Garfield Weston, Sport England and leading City Livery Companies. 
• Strategic Plan 2024–28 with clear goals. 
• Excellent impact measurement systems. 
• A highly experienced Chief Executive with 30 years in the charity sector. 
• A collaborative and supportive team, who understand fundraising is everyone’s responsibility. 

What You’ll Gain 

• Real autonomy and ownership 
• 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays   
• Occupational pension scheme 
• Hybrid and flexible working arrangements  
• Access to training and development opportunities 
• Supportive management culture 
• A genuinely collaborative, values-led culture 

Location
Based at Jean Stokes Community Centre, Islington (5 minutes by bus from King’s Cross) 

Application instructions
Please note, while we appreciate the value of AI tools, we strongly prefer that applicants prepare their supporting statements for this purpose with minimal use of AI.  This helps us to better understand your authentic voice, skills and motivation for this role.  Thank you. 

This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS check and two satisfactory references. 

We are embrace diversity, equality of opportunity and inclusion. We are committed to building a team that represents are variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills.  The more inclusive we are, the more we can achieve. 

Deadline for applications: Sunday, 5th April 2026 at 12midnight  
Interviews: Monday, 20th April 2026 
Estimated Start:  June/July 2026