GUEST POST: Learning from the Fundraising Fellowship Scheme led by Creative Black Country
Guest post by written By Amy Dalton-Hardy
Pictured: Amy leading the first FFS session last year at Newhampton Arts Centre.
Last month marked the conclusion of the latest Creative Black Country’s Fundraising Fellowship Scheme cohort, a vibrant assembly of artists and arts organisations based across Dudley, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Sandwell boroughs.
Under the leadership of Yvonne Gregory, a renowned fundraiser herself, the scheme is characterised on the CBC website as follows:
“The Fundraising Fellowship Scheme, relaunched for 2023, introduces a new cohort of community organisations and projects. Formulated in late 2021, this initiative aims to bolster fundraising efforts within the arts and culture sectors of the Black Country, enhancing the region’s fundraising capacity.”
Selected artists and organisations receive comprehensive training, mentorship, and practical experience to refine their fundraising abilities.
The scheme's goals include:
- Equipping emerging fundraisers and community leaders with essential skills.
- Assisting community groups, festivals, individual creatives and organisations in need of short-term fundraising expertise.
- Creating a shared regional fundraising resource.
- Promoting fundraising as a desirable career path – a field in constant demand!
In short, the goal is to advance fundraising aspirations, whatever that looks like for each participant and according to their circumstances, geography, scale, readiness and understanding. Broadly speaking the scheme has had a great amount of success - they haven’t evaluated the 2023 programme yet, but without crunching the data (Yvonne is doing that imminently), successes already include various organisations securing a range of funding for community projects, from National Lottery funders such as Awards for All as well as Arts Council England National Lottery Project Grants & DYCP.
2023 beneficiaries have included
➡️ BearHeART – a CIC committed to community-wide creative initiatives, including creative writing.
➡️ Total Perception CIC – a Dudley-based community theatre group.
➡️ Bostin’ Creative Arts CIC - a Walsall based multi artform project based organisation.
➡️ Tibby Tenants and Residents Association – a Sandwell residents' association focused on expanding creative opportunities.
➡️ Little Big Arts – an emerging organisation dedicated to sensory and inclusive activities for children.
➡️ S&K Creative Artz Kidz CIC – a Wolverhampton community enterprise nurturing children aged 5-12 through creative engagement. I am continuing to work with director Sekia on an ongoing basis whilst she delivers her ACE funded project!
➡️ The Abrahamic Foundation – a Muslim organisation in Sandwell, aiming to integrate creative activities into its offerings.”
The role that I played
As a specialist fundraising and development consultant, I've had the immense privilege of contributing to this brilliant, much needed scheme. Observing the journey of these organisations, has been a really rewarding experience. I've relished the opportunity to share my insights, offer strategic advice, and impart knowledge about the funding landscape.
It is worth following Creative Black Country, especially if you're based in the Black Country area. And, if interested in collaboration, or if you need guidance in enhancing your fundraising capacity, developing skills, laying business foundations for funding readiness, or if you’d like to discuss your funding application strategies, I'm here to help.
Let's connect!
Email: hello@amydaltonhardy.co.uk