Volunteer Fundraiser & Bid Writer - Volunteer in Croydon

As our Volunteer Fundraiser and Bid Writer, you will drive HWH’s growth by identifying funding opportunities and crafting compelling applications. Your work will help secure resources that strengthen communities and sustain programmes that create lasting, life‑changing impact.

This role will significantly strengthen HWH’s ability to sustain and expand its community programmes. As a grassroots organisation, much of our work depends on successfully securing grants and external funding. A dedicated volunteer supporting fundraising and bid writing will increase our capacity to identify opportunities and submit strong applications.

By researching and mapping funding opportunities, the volunteer will help ensure HWH is consistently identifying grants that align with our programmes. This proactive approach reduces missed opportunities and helps the organisation plan its activities more sustainably.

Strong bids allow us to clearly demonstrate the value of our work. The volunteer will help translate programme outcomes, participant stories, and wellbeing data into compelling proposals that show funders the real impact of our work within the community.

Successful funding applications directly support activities such as community sessions, youth initiatives, wellbeing programmes, and peer support spaces. The volunteer’s work will help ensure these programmes can continue and reach more people who benefit from them.

By helping prepare reports and impact updates, the volunteer will support transparent communication with funders. Clear reporting builds trust and increases the likelihood of future funding.

Support with corporate sponsorship ideas and partnerships may also help HWH explore new income streams beyond traditional grants, improving long‑term financial resilience. Ultimately, this volunteer role helps ensure that HWH can continue delivering programmes that strengthen families, improve wellbeing, and provide safe community spaces for the people we serve.

We are looking for a volunteer who is motivated by creating positive community impact and who enjoys researching, writing, and communicating ideas clearly. The ideal volunteer will be organised, proactive, and able to work independently while collaborating with a small team.

• Strong writing ability – able to write clearly, persuasively, and concisely; comfortable adapting writing style for different audiences and funders.
• Research skills – confident searching for and assessing funding opportunities; able to review eligibility criteria and identify suitable grants.
• Attention to detail – careful with deadlines, word limits, eligibility requirements, and reporting expectations; able to organise information and track multiple applications.
• Self‑motivation and reliability – comfortable managing tasks independently and meeting deadlines; able to maintain consistent progress on applications and research.
• Alignment with our mission – interest in community development, youth support, wellbeing, or anti‑poverty initiatives; commitment to values such as inclusion, community voice, and accessibility.

• Grant writing or fundraising experience – previous experience writing funding applications, bids, or proposals (paid or voluntary).
• Knowledge of the UK funding landscape – familiarity with trusts, foundations, or community funding related to youth services, wellbeing, or community organisations.
• Understanding impact and evaluation – experience presenting outcomes, impact data, or evaluation results to funders.
• Community or grassroots sector experience – experience volunteering or working with community groups, charities, CICs, or grassroots organisations.

We welcome volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds. Formal qualifications are not required — enthusiasm, reliability, and a commitment to the mission are the most important qualities for this role.

The Volunteer Fundraiser and Bid Writer will help HWH secure funding that enables our programmes to grow and reach more people in the community. Working alongside the leadership team, the volunteer will focus on identifying funding opportunities, writing strong applications, and helping maintain a clear pipeline of funding prospects.

• Research funding opportunities – identify relevant grants from trusts and foundations, statutory bodies, local authorities, and community funds; explore corporate giving programmes and sponsorship opportunities aligned with HWH’s work; assess eligibility criteria, priorities, and deadlines to ensure opportunities are suitable.
• Write high‑quality funding applications – prepare compelling grant applications and funding bids that clearly communicate HWH’s programmes and impact; translate programme information, participant feedback, and outcomes into persuasive proposals; ensure applications meet funder requirements, word limits, and evaluation criteria.
• Maintain the funding pipeline – track funding opportunities, deadlines, submission stages, and decisions; maintain organised records of applications and reporting requirements; help ensure the organisation stays proactive in pursuing new funding.
• Support impact reporting – work with programme staff to gather participation data, wellbeing outcomes, and participant feedback; help produce clear and concise reports for funders demonstrating programme outcomes and impact.
• Support income diversification – assist with developing corporate sponsorship proposals or partnership opportunities; identify potential local or national partners that may support HWH’s work.
• Contribute to fundraising strategy – support leadership in aligning funding applications with organisational priorities and programme development; share insights about funding trends in areas such as youth services, community wellbeing, and men’s health.

Throughout the role, the volunteer will help ensure that funding applications accurately reflect HWH’s community‑led values and the lived experiences of the people we support.