For twelve years I worked for a range of national charitable organisations, on many different projects.  I raised lots of money and along the way I have written, organised and managed all aspects of making that happen.  I’m lucky that I enjoyed most of it.  I’m not embarrassed to say that I was, and continue to be, good at it. 

 

Charities are brilliant places, one minute you can be rattling a tin in a tube station, and the next at a fundraising dinner with royalty.  I’ve had a lot of fun.  I’ve worked on TV appeals, gala events, sponsorship deals, clever corporate partnerships, big capital rebuilds, and the bread and butter work of grant fundraising.  For instance, I was the first fundraiser to work with a household FMCG brand, Fairy Non-Bio, on a truly integrated national brand alignment. 

 

I’ve earned my stripes.  Years of creating documents, pitches, applications, brochures, web content, adverts, project plans, strategies and the like means I can write pared-down, pithy copy too.  

 

After more than a decade of flat-out working I fancied a change and a rest from the nine to five.  After a brush with serious illness and cancer, I had a long hard think about what really mattered to me, so I jacked it all in, and branched out on my own.

 

So here I am.  I still do pretty much the same work but I choose my projects and I no longer run on adrenalin (London can do that to you!).  

 

Today, I speak to a lot of people, tasked with raising money for their organisation, who are adrift in a sea of confusion and lack of confidence.  There are a whole host of companies and "specialists" out there who have managed to terrify them into thinking that there is some big mystery to fundraising and bid writing.  There really isn't. I've been doing this for a long time, and the key really is 'organised common sense' and looking at things from your supporter's point of view.

 

Experience and skills aside, the bulk of my work is simply organisation and common sense. Plus, I have always been able to write good stuff; stuff that does what you need it to to do: make money.  For some clients I help with a one-off such as writing an Annual Report.  The main bulk of my work is bid writing - usually to prospects the client has already identified, but often I research and identify prospects as well.  Sometimes, I'm helping to ease deadline pressures, and sometimes clients use me as their first step in 'going up a gear'.  For several clients, I have worked on open-ended contract, for an agreed number of days a month.  Most know exactly what they want, others ask me to give some input into their current situation.  Sometimes I join a team working on a very clear brief, such as a major capital appeal.  

 

This common sense philosophy is reflected in my rates – you pay for my level of experience, not a ‘guru’.  I don’t have all the answers.  I’ve just had plenty of practice at being well organised, writing and raising money.  Hence "Write Good Stuff".