Salary: The maximum fixed fee for the Fundraising Strategy and fundraising work is £50,000, excluding VAT but including all expenses.
Terms: Freelance consultant
Location: Great Western Society, Didcot Railway Centre, Didcot, OX11 7NJ
The Great Western Society (GWS) is seeking specialist fundraising consultancy support to raise sufficient funds to help secure the Delivery Phase National Lottery Heritage Fund (Heritage Fund) application for Didcot’s Historic Engine Shed project. This brief sets out the requirements for the commissioning of a Fundraising Consultant to secure funds for the Delivery Phase application and the longer term sustainability of Didcot Railway Centre.
Background
The focus of the Heritage Fund project is to:
* Restore and repair the Engine Shed roof, windows, doors, walls and floor
* Install solar panels and rainwater harvesting
* Provide light touch interpretation in the body of the Shed to retain its authenticity
* Create fuller interpretation in side rooms to explain the work of the maintenance and train crews, past and present
* Deliver a range of activities designed to engage core and priority audiences with the building, objects and stories.
* Signpost people to explore the rest of the site.
* Doubling our visitor and participant numbers to 80,000 per annum, improving our sustainability.
The overall project will cost £5.8 million with an anticipated opening in the Summer 2028. The development phase of the project is expected to last from Summer 2025 until Summer 2026.
The match funding needed is £2 million, of which we have already secured £1 million in legacies, with a further £400,000 expected from members and donors and £100,000 pledged from the Railway Heritage Trust.
The scope of the work
Didcot Railway Centre requires specialist fundraising consultancy support to raise sufficient funds to help secure the Heritage Fund Delivery Phase application. The Great Western Society uses the Beacon CRM system. The successful consultancy will work closely with the Great Western Society trustees, commencing June 2025 to:
* Create a fundraising strategy with a detailed action plan with outputs and then deliver/secure pledges for the £500k of funding needed for Didcot Railway Centre to proceed with the project.
* Review the project and evaluate assumptions on different fundraising income/prospects including public grants, trusts & foundations, corporates and major donors, to optimise funding opportunities for the project.
* Create a compelling case for support
* Research and cultivate funding prospects and submit high quality well-researched applications within the wider strategy
* Prepare an overarching hierarchy of giving table, benefits and acknowledgement
* Provide support to the Didcot Railway Centre team and assist with fundraising content for the Heritage Fund Delivery Phase application
* Plan and produce an individual giving programme for the purposes of the project and to continue beyond the project.
* Prepare and deliver a legacy campaign to support long-term giving to Didcot Railway Centre
* Leave a legacy of fundraising skills, and understanding of the Beacon CRM system, with the trustees and staff
* Advise, support and develop Didcot Railway’s fundraising in-house skills and capacity
* Produce regular progress reports and attendance at Project Board meetings at key milestones
* Attend and lead Fundraising Working Group meetings (monthly).
* Ensure all fundraising is carried out in accordance with the Code of Fundraising Practice and Fundraising Regulation.
Tenders must be submitted by no later than 18 August 2025 via email or WeTransfer or other file sharing system to Jason Lowe, jason.l@conservationplus.org and the email subject title to state “DRC: Fundraiser”.
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