Trusts, Foundations And Partnerships Fundraiser

About us:

Small Steps is a registered charity founded in 1998 to provide specialist help and support to parents of physically disabled children in London and the surrounding areas. The charity offers a free service and receives no statutory funding, relying entirely on grants, donations, and fundraising to operate. Small Steps supports children from birth to 4 years, focusing on all areas of their development through the principles of conductive education. Children attending sessions may have cerebral palsy, other forms of motor impairment, syndromes, or sensory impairment. The charity’s work is dedicated to improving outcomes for young children and their families during the early years of development.

The Role:

This is a full-time, on-site Trusts, Foundations and Partnerships Fundraiser role based in Richmond Upon Thames. The role involves researching and identifying suitable trusts, foundations, and corporate partners, and maintaining a pipeline of funding opportunities aligned with Small Steps’ mission and services. Day-to-day tasks include preparing high-quality funding applications, proposals, and reports, ensuring timely submissions and accurate impact data. The fundraiser will develop and manage relationships with existing and prospective funders, provide regular updates, and coordinate visits or events to showcase the charity’s work. The role also includes working closely with colleagues to gather information for applications, maintain fundraising records, monitor progress against income targets, and contribute to the overall fundraising strategy.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in fundraising from trusts, foundations, and corporate or community partners, including prospect research and pipeline management.
• Strong proposal and grant-writing skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly and persuasively for different audiences.
• Ability to build and sustain professional relationships with funders, donors, and stakeholders, with a confident and respectful communication style.
• Effective organizational and project management skills, including attention to detail, time management, and meeting deadlines across multiple applications.
• Competence in using CRM or fundraising databases, spreadsheets, and standard office software to track income, reporting requirements, and donor communications.
• Understanding of the charity sector and income diversification, ideally with knowledge of disability, early years, or family support services.
• Comfort working on-site in a small team environment, with a collaborative approach, initiative, and a commitment to Small Steps’ values and safeguarding responsibilities.
• Relevant education or training in fundraising, charity management, communications, or a related field is desirable, as is experience in event or community fundraising.

Benefits:

Generous annual leave package

At Small Steps, we know that great candidates do not always tick every box. If you are excited by this role and feel you could make a real difference, we would love to hear from you, even if your experience does not match every aspect of the person specification. We value potential, passion, and a shared commitment to our mission, and we welcome applications from people with a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences.