Job Title: Trust and Foundations Researcher
Department: Fundraising
Line Manager: Trust and Foundations Manager
Remuneration: Reasonable travel and subsistence
Location: Remote (Office in Camden, London)
Training will be offered in-person (lasting roughly 6 weeks).
Contract: Temporary
Time commitment / Working Hours: at least 7 hours a week, for at least three months.
Variety, The Children’s Charity provides practical, life-changing support to disabled and disadvantaged children across the UK.
There are currently 4.3 million children living in poverty in the U.K, with 600,000 children both disabled and living in poverty. Variety’s programmes make an immediate and lasting difference to disabled and disadvantaged children and young people by directly improving their wellbeing and quality of life.
The opportunity
Are you an enthusiastic, willing learner with an interest in Trusts fundraising at high-profile international children’s charity?
Variety, the Children’s Charity are offering a chance for a volunteer to gain valuable experience within our Trusts and Foundations Fundraising team. This is a great learning opportunity to join an international children’s charity that’s globally renowned.
We are developing into a successful national programme. This is a fantastic opportunity for a pro-active volunteer to learn and develop key research, bid-writing and fundraising skills to be a successful Trust Fundraiser.
This is an excellent CV enhancing opportunity with a Charity that is committed to improving the lives of disabled and disadvantaged children and young people.
Working with the Trust and Foundations Manager, you will provide high quality, reliable research and logistical support to research and qualify our planned approaches to new Trust and Foundations. You must be IT literate, with a strong attention to detail.
Roles and responsibilities
1. Researching Prospects
- Finding suitable new Trusts and Foundations prospects. You’ll have access to a workbook, fundraising database and grants bulletin to trawl through.
- Reviewing Trust and Foundation Accounts. You’ll undertake research using online platforms, such as the Charity Commission website.
- Assessing whether prospects are a suitable fit.
2. Administrative support
- Updating our fundraising database and Excel workbook, as you progress. This will involve deciding whether the fundraising team should make an application for each prospect.
- Supporting with fundraising related tasks, on an ad hoc basis, as is required within the Trusts and Foundations team.
Skills and qualities
Essential
- Strong IT proficiency. You will be confident in using Microsoft Office, especially Excel. With a willingness to learn about our fundraising database.
- A methodical and orderly approach. You will be comfortable with online research and working through a workbook of contacts.
- Good verbal and written communication skills. You will have the ability to clearly and concisely summarise information from readily available sources.
- Analytical skills. You will be comfortable with independently conducting research and will be happy with conducting desk-based research.
- Administrative skills. You will be organised and methodical
Desirable
- Experience of conducting research.
- Understanding and interest in the charity or not-for-profit sector
- Past fundraising volunteer experience
Applications should reach us by 11.59 on 16th May 2025.
Interviews will be held on a rolling basis until this date. We look forward to hearing from you.
Interested?
More information can be found by downloading our Trust and Foundations Volunteer pack, under 'supporting documents'. If you would like to apply, then please submit the following:
- An up-to-date CV
- cover letter (max 1 page) on why you are interested and are a good fit
No agencies please.
