Fundraising Officer
| Posting date: | 26 September 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £30,725 to £31,493 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 26 October 2025 |
| Location: | Doncaster, South Yorkshire |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 2 days per week |
| Company: | YMCA |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | FR230p |
Summary
Are you an experienced fundraiser, skilled in crafting persuasive narratives and telling moving stories of impact and change? We have a fabulous opportunity for you to use your creative and organisational skills to make a difference to young lives in Doncaster.
We are currently finalising our next Forward Plan, with an ambition to create an inclusive, vibrant community, committed to everyone having a fair chance to discover who they are and what they can become. We currently work with children and young people aged 5 to 30.
Our priority programmes include support coaching for young people, community activity sessions, sustaining our accommodation provision for vulnerable young adults and establishing how we can best support more young people on the homelessness pathway. We have some great spaces that are in need of development, and we expect that both capital and revenue funding will be included in your workload. We also look for smaller grants during the course of the year, including for food for our residents and supplies for our art groups, and we hope to recruit volunteers to assist with some elements of this work.
The core of your role will be in generating funds from trusts and individual giving, with other fundraising and communications tasks included as time permits.
Main Responsibilities
- To create and update cases for support for YMCA Doncaster’s fundable projects and general running costs.
- To be responsible for an assigned portfolio of trusts, foundations and similar, developing knowledge of, and relationships with, those funders.
- To make strong applications to funders within the assigned portfolio, matching YMCA Doncaster’s agreed cases for support with funders’ interests and requirements.
- To create, publicise and monitor outcomes of giving campaigns and / or fundraising events.
- To nurture key external stakeholders including potential supporters from the local business community, the media and others as appropriate.
- To prepare and give presentations, maintain ongoing contact and host trustee or representative visits where required as part of fundraising work.
- To devise and oversee efficient evaluation and monitoring systems which meet funder requirements.
- To keep comprehensive records, in an established format, from initial contact with a potential funder through to either the rejection correspondence or the funding agreement and subsequent monitoring and evaluation.
- To ensure that staff and volunteers joining YMCA Doncaster are encouraged to contribute to positive communications and fundraising efforts.
- To supervise / oversee volunteers and less experienced staff engaged in fundraising work.
- To comply with fundraising and other legislation relevant to the role.
- To report to the Chief Executive monthly in the required format.
- Additional or other duties as necessary within your capabilities and status to meet the needs of YMCA Doncaster.
Person Specification
- A recent track record of success in successful fundraising through grants or individual giving.
- Understanding of the full cycle of grants fundraising including creating cases for support, submitting applications, responding to requests for information, monitoring and evaluation.
- An understanding of the current UK grants / trusts climate.
- An understanding of the charity sector and the key issues for supporter communications.
- Exceptional written communication skills, a strong command of grammar and meticulous attention to detail.
- Self-motivated and self-supporting, with the ability to work independently and deal with unexpected or challenging situations including short-notice opportunities.
- Able to supervise and support volunteers and others to complete fundraising tasks.
- Computer literate, able to use Microsoft Word and Excel to a high standard, and able to use new technologies to improve efficiency.
- Experience of maintaining confidentiality and appropriate relationships.
- Able to represent the Association positively, professionally and with credibility.
We are currently finalising our next Forward Plan, with an ambition to create an inclusive, vibrant community, committed to everyone having a fair chance to discover who they are and what they can become. We currently work with children and young people aged 5 to 30.
Our priority programmes include support coaching for young people, community activity sessions, sustaining our accommodation provision for vulnerable young adults and establishing how we can best support more young people on the homelessness pathway. We have some great spaces that are in need of development, and we expect that both capital and revenue funding will be included in your workload. We also look for smaller grants during the course of the year, including for food for our residents and supplies for our art groups, and we hope to recruit volunteers to assist with some elements of this work.
The core of your role will be in generating funds from trusts and individual giving, with other fundraising and communications tasks included as time permits.
Main Responsibilities
- To create and update cases for support for YMCA Doncaster’s fundable projects and general running costs.
- To be responsible for an assigned portfolio of trusts, foundations and similar, developing knowledge of, and relationships with, those funders.
- To make strong applications to funders within the assigned portfolio, matching YMCA Doncaster’s agreed cases for support with funders’ interests and requirements.
- To create, publicise and monitor outcomes of giving campaigns and / or fundraising events.
- To nurture key external stakeholders including potential supporters from the local business community, the media and others as appropriate.
- To prepare and give presentations, maintain ongoing contact and host trustee or representative visits where required as part of fundraising work.
- To devise and oversee efficient evaluation and monitoring systems which meet funder requirements.
- To keep comprehensive records, in an established format, from initial contact with a potential funder through to either the rejection correspondence or the funding agreement and subsequent monitoring and evaluation.
- To ensure that staff and volunteers joining YMCA Doncaster are encouraged to contribute to positive communications and fundraising efforts.
- To supervise / oversee volunteers and less experienced staff engaged in fundraising work.
- To comply with fundraising and other legislation relevant to the role.
- To report to the Chief Executive monthly in the required format.
- Additional or other duties as necessary within your capabilities and status to meet the needs of YMCA Doncaster.
Person Specification
- A recent track record of success in successful fundraising through grants or individual giving.
- Understanding of the full cycle of grants fundraising including creating cases for support, submitting applications, responding to requests for information, monitoring and evaluation.
- An understanding of the current UK grants / trusts climate.
- An understanding of the charity sector and the key issues for supporter communications.
- Exceptional written communication skills, a strong command of grammar and meticulous attention to detail.
- Self-motivated and self-supporting, with the ability to work independently and deal with unexpected or challenging situations including short-notice opportunities.
- Able to supervise and support volunteers and others to complete fundraising tasks.
- Computer literate, able to use Microsoft Word and Excel to a high standard, and able to use new technologies to improve efficiency.
- Experience of maintaining confidentiality and appropriate relationships.
- Able to represent the Association positively, professionally and with credibility.