Ripon College, Cuddesdon

Trust fundraising

For many charities, grant-making trusts are an important and productive source of income. However, there are so many possible pitfalls in trust fundraising and making an approach that many charities don’t realise their full potential.

Trust fundraising is increasingly competitive, with good trust fundraisers at a premium and attracting high salaries. At the same time, low interest rates and poor performance in the markets have caused major problems for grant-makers, a number of whom have reduced level of funds that they distribute.

There are no easy answers, but at times like these it is extremely important that charities sharpen up their act in the planning and implementation of their trust fundraising strategies. Trusts will appreciate your efforts, and of course, this is a good first step in securing funding.

Think about your application…

For example, some charities put a brochure in with all applications, believing that this strengthens their pitch. Just consider, however, the unfortunate trust administrator opening the envelope and needing to make a decision; do they copy it and circulate the copies to all trustees (which can be a mammoth task)? Or do they ignore the brochure, in which case the trustees don’t get to see it at all? Or pass it round the table (scarcely better)? Unless a trust explicitly asks for brochures to be included, it is far better for the applicant to incorporate a small number of appropriately-sized photographs which photocopy well within a well-formatted, professionally laid-out application.

In over sixty years, we have helped more than 1,500 clients raise funds from grant-making bodies and we continue to lead in this form of fundraising.

We offer:

  • A discrete grant-making trust application and management service
  • A discrete trust identification service appropriate for your organisation
  • Fuller research to provide schedules of local and national trusts matched to your charity’s profile
  • Interim management of trust fundraising
  • Specific training and support of a client’s own fundraiser
  • Strategic advice regarding the place of grant-making trusts within the overall strategy
  • Trust fundraising management or advice within the context of support for a major capital campaign
  • Lottery and other bid advice or writing

Where next?

To have an informal conversation with a member of our team please call 01582 762441 or email first@craigmyle.org.uk. You may also like to see our CONSULTANTS page and make direct contact.

Trust fundraising

For many charities, grant-making trusts are an important and productive source of income. However, there are so many possible pitfalls in trust fundraising and making an approach that many charities don’t realise their full potential.

Trust fundraising is increasingly competitive, with good trust fundraisers at a premium and attracting high salaries. At the same time, low interest rates and poor performance in the markets have caused major problems for grant-makers, a number of whom have reduced level of funds that they distribute.

There are no easy answers, but at times like these it is extremely important that charities sharpen up their act in the planning and implementation of their trust fundraising strategies. Trusts will appreciate your efforts, and of course, this is a good first step in securing funding.

Think about your application…

For example, some charities put a brochure in with all applications, believing that this strengthens their pitch. Just consider, however, the unfortunate trust administrator opening the envelope and needing to make a decision; do they copy it and circulate the copies to all trustees (which can be a mammoth task)? Or do they ignore the brochure, in which case the trustees don’t get to see it at all? Or pass it round the table (scarcely better)? Unless a trust explicitly asks for brochures to be included, it is far better for the applicant to incorporate a small number of appropriately-sized photographs which photocopy well within a well-formatted, professionally laid-out application.

In over sixty years, we have helped more than 1,500 clients raise funds from grant-making bodies and we continue to lead in this form of fundraising.

We offer:

  • A discrete grant-making trust application and management service
  • A discrete trust identification service appropriate for your organisation
  • Fuller research to provide schedules of local and national trusts matched to your charity’s profile
  • Interim management of trust fundraising
  • Specific training and support of a client’s own fundraiser
  • Strategic advice regarding the place of grant-making trusts within the overall strategy
  • Trust fundraising management or advice within the context of support for a major capital campaign
  • Lottery and other bid advice or writing

Where next?

To have an informal conversation with a member of our team please call 01582 762441 or email first@craigmyle.org.uk. You may also like to see our CONSULTANTS page and make direct contact.