From Fundraising Director to Fundraising Director

Hugo Sivov

I took on the role of Fundraising Director because I had been the treasurer for my local branch and I wanted to build on that experience and have a bigger impact on the charity. Two years later I am leaving Sexpression:UK as the Fundraising & Corporate Partners Director having gained a lot of experience and having made that bigger impact.

There was a steep learning curve at first – I spent a lot of time learning about grants and figuring out how to draft applications. Applications were not always successful but the process taught me a lot about how to tell a compelling story about the work we are doing and about the infrastructure behind charity fundraising.

As I gained more experience and started discussing our fundraising with other committee members and our trustees it became clear we needed a more efficient strategy – I was spending too long on too many unsuccessful applications. We started developing a fundraising strategy and I had the opportunity to meet with fundraising directors from other charities to sharpen it. The plan worked around the unreliability of grants by focusing on partners and donations. It gave direction to the work I would do going forward, and the role was changed to Fundraising & Corporate Partnerships Director to reflect this change. It was rewarding to take on the issues I was facing, address it meaningfully, and change the way the role would work going forward.

The plan was successful – before my first year as director ended we already had a regular donor and we had developed a collaboration with a company that looked incredibly promising. It had been a challenging experience – there were a lot of pressures on my time between exams, medical school rotations, other commitments – but the work was always rewarding and when funding came through it was incredibly satisfying. Now that we had a bit of momentum I wanted to keep it going and I stayed on another year.

Despite greater pressures on my time in my final year of medical school, we were able to develop a lot of partnerships and by taking a more measured approach to grant selection we were able to raise more money than we did in my first year, and there’s still three months to go. Staying on to keep that momentum going was the right call.

I feel I am leaving Sexpression:UK with solid foundation for future fundraising directors to build on and having developed a lot of skills in the process. I hope the fundraising directors continue to develop sustainable funding for our charity and gain as much from the role as I have.

Role Description for Finance Director

We rely on a combination of partner donations and grant funding to support our work, guided by a strategic fundraising plan. As the Fundraising Director, you will play a key role in securing and growing our funding.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Maintaining Relationships: Cultivating and managing relationships with existing partners who regularly sponsor posts, events, and other initiatives.

• Event Planning: Working closely with the External Relations and Communications Directors to coordinate sponsored posts or events for our sponsors, and identifying potential sponsors for our existing events and campaigns (e.g. Conference, General Assembly).

• Prospecting New Donors: Identifying and engaging potential new donors to expand our funding base.

• Grant Applications: Collaborating with the Director and Trustees to draft compelling grant proposals and ensuring timely submission of key funding applications throughout the year.

Fundraising is integral to the continued growth and success of our charity - it ensures we have the resources to continue delivering our high quality sexual health and relationship education.