The Certificate in Fundraising Skills
Testimonials
Here are some testimonials from some of the previous participants on the course:
Trustee of Unite, Carers in Mid-Devon
Previous Fundraising Experience: None. I enrolled on the course in Feb 2010 as our charity needed someone to take on the fundraising role.
Success since Completing Course: We quickly had offers of £35,000 over three years towards a managers post and have now appointed a 25 hour manager post (redeploying two people from a project who otherwise would have been made redundant.) We have raised £58,000 for Young Carer activities and other small projects. Recently, a Trust that heard of our work sent us an unsolicited cheque for £500!
Future Plans: We have just agreed our fundraising strategy for the next three years and despite the economic climate I feel confident that we will move from Survive to Thrive!
"The Course was highly motivating and rewarding with great support, feedback and encouragement. I feel that I have gone from novice to expert in one year."
Phil Lloyd, Unite.
Fundraising Officer, National Gulf Veterans & Families Association
Previous Fundraising Experience: Having been turned down for grant funding in 2008 Sarah decided to enrol on the Certificate to improve her bid writing skills.
Success since Completing Course: The National Gulf Veterans & Families Association have been awarded a £3000 grant from GlaxoSmithKline IMPACT awards. Only 5% of 350 applications submitted were successful, so they have beat off stiff competition for funding. A previous application to IMPACT had been turned down.
"Thanks to the course I was able to identify the areas where we had gone wrong before. This helped to make a strong application which then resulted in an IMPACT award. The course has also helped me to think more about what contents go in future funding applications."
Sarah Sydall, NGVFA
"Since completing the Certificate in Fundraising Skills I have got a fundraising job with The Iraqi Charities Forum. I would like to thank you for everything as without your guidance on the course I wouldn't have got the job!"
Fundraising Officer, Iraqi Charities Forum
"The course has helped us prepare applications and funding letters. We have received £77,800 from Lloyds TSB and have had many successes with smaller grants too, in the region of £5,000"
Community Development Manager, Easington District Council
"Since completing the course we have received one grant of £9,895 and another of £10,800 with other applications being considered. It really works!!"
David Peake, Senior Project Supervisor, Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living
"We've been granted £15,000 towards our new building and couldn't have done it without the knowledge from this course"
Fundraising Officer, The Cat & Rabbit Rescue Centre
"Our project has expanded considerably since completing the course and secured new funding for the future of the project"
Project Manager, Goodwin Volunteer Doula Project
"We have since raised over £70,000 for staff, a minibus and activities, from government grants and local business sponsorship"
Manager, Flying Pigs Kids Club
"I've gained a great deal of confidence in Trust funding techniques and have successfully raised £35,000 from a variety of Trusts"
Health Practitioner, Doncaster Primary Care Trust
"The course helped us to increase income from Trusts and local authority grants, approx £50,000 in the last 6 months"
Charity Development Manager, Helping Hands
"Both of the grant applications I've submitted have been successful. The course taught me what to include"
Anna Elliott, Volunteer Fundraiser (several causes)
"As I work with a number of charities, I did the course to help inform my own fundraising practice and advice. I have raised over half a million since completing the Fundraising Skills course"
J Jeffers (Independent Fundraiser) Capacity First
"This fantastic course has added to my existing knowledge of funding. Really enjoyed working with my e-tutor to improve my bid writing skills"
J Milburn, Secretary of Annfield Plain Family History Society
"I felt that the course catered for a variety of levels of fundraisers and this is certainly a credit to the course designers. It is often difficult to just 'pitch it right'!"
Cassandra Tongue, Business Development Manager, Bradnet
"I would recommend this course to anyone who has anything to do with fundraising - it is invaluable and literally worth its weight in money!"
Julie Morton, Youth Information Worker, Flintshire Youth & Community Service
"This course has enabled me to understand the fundraising process from the initial planning stage, right through to receiving a grant"
Andrea McLoughlin, Trainee Manager, Mind in Birmingham
"The beauty of the course is that it can be successfully completed over a relatively short period"
Paul Bristow, Centre Manger, Inverclyde Community Development Trust
"It was a very good course and I would recommend it to everyone as the length was just right and the assessments were easy to do"
Nursery Assistant, Children's Centre
"The course has pulled together a number of elements which increase groups' chances of successfully securing funds"
Community Development Coordinator, Council Community Services
" We've been successful in gaining £5,000 for the redevelopment of our website and now plan to apply for a part-time admin/fundraiser post. The course contributed to the success as I was able to focus on what information would be most likely to succeed "
Lesley Fudge, Vice Chair, Latex Allergy Support Group
" This course has given me the tools and the confidence to now bid for the Big Lottery!! This time 6 weeks ago I would have been terrified of that prospect, now I look upon this as a challenge. I have thoroughly enjoyed the course and learnt so much thank you to my tutor. "
Marg Oaten, Eating Disorder Support Group
" I would encourage other students to base their coursework around their own projects, and since you are given this option, you can use the tutor as a sounding board and incorporate his/her feedback. They would then have a ready made bid to present at the end of the course! I have loved doing this course and feel much more confident as a result. Can't wait to get stuck in! "
Branch Development Manager, Alzheimer's Society
" The course materials were very well written with an easy to read lay out, all the links were very useful and the assessment exercises were interesting. I now have a more confident writing style. I have gained a lot of ideas from this course and through other participants. "
K Drummond, Events Co-ordinator, North Northumberland Hospice
" As a novice I found all aspects of the course were new and exciting and very informative. A wonderful course and fantastic, supportive Tutor "
Fundraising Manager, Herstmonceaux beyond Centre
" It has been a brilliant course and coming in as a complete novice I have learnt so much! I am now busy putting it all into practice. Thank you David for all the help and support I have also enjoyed being part of the group. "
Company Secretary, Alexander Devine Children's Cancer Trust
