Freelance Fundraising & Development Consultant

FREELANCE FUNDRAISING & DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT

Contract Brief

Saving the Home of Auld Lang Syne

The Robert Burns Ellisland Trust

The Robert Burns Ellisland Trust is seeking to appoint a Freelance Fundraising & Development Consultant to support the next phase of the Saving the Home of Auld Lang Syne campaign. This post is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Ellisland Farm is the home built by Robert Burns in 1788 and the place where he wrote Auld Lang Syne and Tam o' Shanter. The Trust is delivering a major conservation and reinterpretation project to restore this internationally significant site and establish it as a nationally and internationally important heritage and cultural destination.

The project has successfully completed RIBA Stage 3, secured Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent, and is currently progressing through RIBA Stage 4 technical design work.

The Trust has already secured significant public and charitable investment from organisations including:

• The National Lottery Heritage Fund
• South of Scotland Enterprise
• Museums Galleries Scotland
• Dumfries and Galloway Council
• UK Shared Prosperity Fund
• The Holywood Trust
• The Pilgrim Trust

Our campaign has secured national and international attention, due to a successful programme of marketing, engagement opportunities and events, including showcasing the music created at Ellisland with the Burns Family Flute. The campaign is now entering a concentrated period of Delivery Phase preparation and capital fundraising.

Purpose of the Role

The Trust seeks an experienced fundraising professional to provide senior fundraising support during a critical phase of project development.

The role will focus on:

• Trusts and foundations fundraising
• Prospect prioritisation and progression
• Bid writing
• Funding applications

The Trust has already developed:

• A detailed Case for Support
• Campaign materials, including a campaign film
• Substantial technical and budget information
• Previous successful funding applications
• A live prospect pipeline

The emphasis of the role will therefore be on:

• Delivery
• Prioritisation
• Application preparation
• Progressing funding opportunities within a compressed timetable

The consultant will work closely with the Project Director, Chair, Trustees and professional advisers to help secure major support for the Delivery Phase of the project.

Key Responsibilities

Funding Applications & Bid Writing

• Prepare high-quality funding applications to trusts, foundations and statutory funders
• Tailor applications and supporting materials to specific funder priorities
• Coordinate supporting information, budgets and technical data required for applications
• Draft donor briefings, proposals and supporting fundraising materials as required
• Progress priority funding prospects already identified by the Trust
• Support donor cultivation and follow-up activity
• Maintain fundraising tracking systems, application schedules and reporting timelines
• Coordinate fundraising input from trustees, consultants and advisers where required

Delivery Support

• Support implementation of the existing fundraising strategy and Case for Support
• Assist preparation for major funding applications linked to the Delivery Phase of the project
• Help ensure fundraising activity remains aligned with project timetable and priorities

Person Specification

The successful candidate is likely to have:

• A strong track record in trusts and foundations fundraising
• Excellent bid writing and communication skills
• Experience of heritage, arts, culture or capital fundraising
• Experience of complex capital campaigns involving mixed public and private funding
• Strong organisational and project management skills
• The ability to prioritise effectively and work to tight timescales
• The ability to work collaboratively within a developing project environment

Experience of National Lottery Heritage Fund projects or major heritage capital projects is essential.

Contract Basis

• Consultancy contract
• Flexible working arrangements
• Anticipated commitment: approximately 1.5-2.5 days per week

Anticipated Fee Range

• Fixed-term support to December 2026, subject to review
• Remote working possible, with occasional meetings in Dumfries and Galloway, Glasgow and Edinburgh

The consultant will report to:

Joan McAlpine, Project Director

Remuneration, Outputs & Reporting

Depending on experience, proposed level of involvement and track record.

The Trust is open to:

• Day-rate arrangements
• Retained consultancy structures
• Milestone-based payment schedules linked to agreed outputs and deliverables

The successful consultant will be expected to:

• Maintain timesheets or activity logs
• Provide monthly progress reports
• Share copies and drafts of applications prepared on behalf of the Trust
• Work to an agreed fundraising timetable and delivery plan

Clear outputs and application targets will be agreed at appointment stage. These are likely to include:

• Agreed numbers of major and smaller funding applications submitted within defined periods
• Progression of identified priority prospects
• Donor and funder engagement activity

The Trust expects a strong focus on productivity, prioritisation and delivery.

Reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed by agreement.

The Trust reserves the right to review the arrangement during the contract period, subject to agreed notice arrangements.

Holywood Road
Auldgirth
Dumfries
Scotland
DG2 0RP

Mon: Closed
Tues: 10am - 4pm
Wed: 10am - 4pm
Thurs: 10am - 4pm
Fri: 10am - 4pm
Sat: 10am - 4pm (closed 1pm - 2pm)
Sun: 10am - 4pm

The Robert Burns Ellisland Trust is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SC )

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