Heritage groups offered free coaching to hone fundraising skills

Wales’s museums, libraries and other heritage and environmental organisations are being offered the chance to give their fundraising a major boost.

Eligible organisations have a month left to apply to Catalyst Cymru - Heritage fundraising’s one-off free executive coaching programme, in which fundraising experts will show senior staff and board members how to improve their fundraising skills and help their groups thrive over the long term.

Delivered by leading Welsh heritage fundraising consultancy The Funding Centre, the coaching – which needs to be applied for by May 1 - would normally cost thousands of pounds.

‘The impact of austerity spending cuts is perhaps being felt most keenly in the heritage sector, where funding for museums, libraries and environmental organisations is currently very tight,’ said Catalyst Cymru - Heritage Fundraising Project Officer Richard Roberts.

‘We know that as well as finding this funding climate very challenging, many heritage organisations don’t have the resources or expertise to develop their fundraising in the way that they would like.

‘The executive coaching package will help staff increase their skills, confidence and knowledge to fundraise from private and other income sources to sustain their organisation's future and be more resilient and capable of securing appropriate and diverse funding sources,’ Richard added.

Applicants must be a heritage organisation as described by the Heritage Lottery Fund (www.hlf.org.uk/ looking-funding/what-we-fund):

·         Buildings and Monuments

·         Community Heritage

·         Cultures and Memories

·         Land and natural heritage

·         Industrial, maritime and transport

·         Museums, libraries and archives

Coaching is open to organisations irrespective of their size or fundraising experience.  The package is flexible but could include problem solving sessions and training delivered in face-to-face meetings, phone/skype calls and emails.

Priority will be given to projects which show an organisational commitment to fundraising, which have the potential to demonstrate a step-change in fundraising, and which are willing to share the results of their training.

Catalyst Cymru - Heritage Fundraising is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and run by a partnership of third sector umbrella body Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA), the Welsh Government’s CyMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales, and The Funding Centre.

The programme is part of a broader partnership initiative between HLF, DCMS and Arts Council England, which aims to encourage private giving to culture and heritage, and to build the capacity and skills of cultural and heritage organisations to fundraise from private donors, corporate sources, trusts and foundations.

WCVA Chief Executive Ruth Marks said: ‘The Catalyst Cymru programme is an innovative collaboration that provides real benefits for the sector – this is an opportunity not to be missed.’

To find out how you can apply, visit http://www.wcva.org.uk/funding/catalyst-cymru/executive-coaching

For further information about the Executive Coaching, please contact Richard Roberts on 01970-631148 or richardroberts@wcva.org.uk

(Source: WCVA)