I am a skilled fundraising specialist with over 25 years of experience. I have a proven track record of securing funding for the culture, heritage and charity sectors to enable organisations to achieve their objectives and expand their work. I specialise in high value fundraising from trusts, government grants, and the National Lottery.
I have been fortunate to have worked with a wide range of organisations, from small community led charities, to large national charities and my clients include organisations in health, children’s welfare and museums sectors. Over the last four years, I have had the privilege of working on interim assignments with The Design Museum, Marie Curie, Clan Childlaw, Discover Children’s Story Centre, Smile Train UK and Winston’s Wish.
As a fundraising specialist focusing on interim assignments, I work with clients to help them through periods of change, growth and transition. I quickly get up to speed, to ensure that I can deliver targets, support senior leadership and ensure teams maintain momentum. I enjoy working collaboratively with clients to shape compelling cases for support. I quickly understand the needs of each organisation, and bring clarity, conciseness and attention to detail to every bid I write. I have trained and coached clients, establishing fundraising capabilities in organisations and embedding organisation-wide fundraising cultures. I have a real desire to help individuals and organisations thrive and not just survive.
Fundraising has always played an important role throughout my career in the arts. For nine years I was Creative Development Manager, working with artists and arts organisations to write and shape successful funding applications. During this time, I also co-wrote and edited several publications, I interviewed dozens of artists for public art commissions and read through hundreds of CVs and artist statements. I designed and delivered training sessions to help artists write their own statements and polish up their interview techniques and trained artists and senior managers to write successful funding applications.
Prior to that I curated exhibitions and developed educational programmes for galleries and museums. For three years I was Head of Visual Arts at South Hill Park Arts Centre, curating exhibitions, educational resources and managing artist’s residencies and studies. At the RIBA, I developed a new schools education programme to engage children with art and architecture exhibitions. I started my career curating exhibitions at the Mead Art Gallery and then Craftspace Touring. A post grad in Museum Management was closely followed by working freelance at Tate Britain and The Crafts Council.
Having been an exhibition curator and commissioned public art projects I know first-hand how to put together a winning CV, biography, statement or proposal to get you noticed.
I have full membership of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising (MCIOF). I am an accredited coach with Performance Coach Training Ltd and the Cultural Leadership programme.
If you would like further information about any of the services that I provide, please use the Contact Us page to get in touch, I would love to hear from you.
Rebecca Cairns 