The Garden Museum is seeking an experienced Fundraiser to lead on match‑funding a £2.65m grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for Benton End Revived: the renewal and redevelopment of Benton End, a Grade II* listed Tudor property with significant artistic, horticultural, and social heritage. The goal is to transform Benton End into a vibrant, accessible and sustainable arts and learning centre, re‑imagining the radical spirit of Sir Cedric Morris and Arthur Lett‑Haines’s art school and garden legacy.
Project Goals
* Conserve and restore the Grade II* listed house and associated gardens structures.
* Create inclusive and accessible facilities for learning, exhibitions, and residencies.
* Respect and celebrate the site’s layered heritage, including its significance in queer history.
* Embed sustainability and environmental responsibility in all design choices.
* Enable operational and financial sustainability through a mixed‑use business model.
Roles and Responsibilities
* Review the fundraising process for the development phase of the project in partnership with the client team.
* Review the existing fundraising strategy submitted to the Heritage Fund (see tender pack).
* Re‑develop, update and deliver a comprehensive fundraising strategy to achieve the necessary match funding for the delivery phase, including phased targets, pipeline planning, and approach methodology.
* Identify potential funding sources, including charitable trusts and foundations, major individual donors, philanthropic legacy leads (including those with interests in art, horticulture, LGBTQIA+ causes, and regional heritage), corporate supporters and in‑kind contributors.
* Cross‑check all potential funding sources and prospects with the client team, paying particular attention to the Garden Museum’s other fundraising programmes, existing funders and live/upcoming campaigns.
* Produce a detailed fundraising plan with goals, milestones, specific targets and details of which funding sources will be approached at each stage of the campaign.
* Support cultivation of key prospects, including advising on pitches, proposals, and relationship management and lead these where appropriate.
* Develop a “Case for Support” and campaign materials tailored to different audiences.
* Work with the client team to ensure fundraising aligns with Heritage Fund delivery phase submission (August 2027), activity and interpretation plans and capital delivery timelines and cash flow needs.
* Provide reports on all fundraising activity and data collected, in formats compatible with the client team’s CRM.
* Support the implementation of the live campaign: tracking targets, overseeing donor communications and managing asks.
Qualifications and Experience
* A strong track record of raising capital funds in the arts, culture or heritage sector.
* Experience working with national funders (trusts/foundations, HNWI and corporates).
* Knowledge of Heritage Fund processes and expectations.
* Experience in creating compelling cases for support, particularly for multidisciplinary projects (art, heritage, gardens, LGBTQIA+ history).
* Sensitivity to inclusive fundraising and community engagement.
* Strategic thinking with a collaborative and proactive working style.
The budget for the fundraising consultant’s fee is a maximum of £36,000 (excl. VAT), to include all travel and expenses and with an expectation that the consultant will be on site regularly at Benton End, Hadleigh, Suffolk. The consultant will report to the Project Manager and work closely with the Garden Museum Development Director and the Benton End Board.
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