Fundraising and Grants Specialist

What will you be doing?

we are seeking an experienced fundraising and grants volunteer to help The Bridle Path Initiative CIC build a clear, realistic and sustainable funding approach.

The Bridle Path Initiative is a newly registered specialist organisation supporting people affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence in rural, farming and equestrian communities. We are at an early but exciting stage, with a registered CIC, website, emerging partnerships, funding applications underway and a clear need for specialist support in communities that are often hidden or underserved.

We need a volunteer who can help us identify suitable funding opportunities and strengthen our approach to grants, sponsorship and income generation. This may include researching grant funders, helping us decide which opportunities are the best fit, reviewing draft applications, shaping project budgets, improving funding language and helping us develop a simple fundraising pipeline.

We would also value support with corporate sponsorship approaches, particularly with local, rural and equestrian businesses who may want to support awareness raising, outreach materials or community engagement. This could include helping us create a sponsorship offer, identify potential supporters and shape messages that are clear, ethical and compelling.

Key priorities for the role include identifying suitable grant funders and sponsorship opportunities, helping review and strengthen funding applications, supporting the development of simple project budgets, helping create a fundraising pipeline and tracking system, advising on income generation options for a new CIC and supporting funding language around awareness, outreach, safeguarding and survivor wellbeing.

We are a very small start-up CIC, so this role would suit someone who enjoys helping an organisation build from the ground up. You would work directly with the founder and directors, offering practical guidance and support rather than line managing anyone or taking on operational responsibility.

The ideal volunteer will be someone who can bring structure, confidence and fundraising experience to an organisation with a strong mission but limited resources. Your support would help us move from early-stage development into sustainable delivery, allowing us to reach survivors in rural, farming and equestrian communities who may not currently see themselves reflected in mainstream domestic abuse services.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for an experienced fundraising or grants professional who understands the voluntary, charity or social enterprise sector and can help a newly registered CIC build its funding foundations from scratch.

The ideal volunteer will have experience of grant fundraising, trust and foundations applications or corporate fundraising, ideally within a charity, CIC or social enterprise setting. They will be comfortable reviewing and strengthening funding applications, researching funders, shaping project budgets and helping develop a simple fundraising pipeline and tracking system.

Experience of working with newly established or early stage organisations would be particularly valuable, as would familiarity with community or grassroots funding programmes such as the National Lottery Community Fund, local authority grants or trust and foundation funding.

An understanding of domestic abuse, rural communities, equestrian or farming settings, or safeguarding would be an advantage but is not essential. What matters most is a genuine commitment to the mission of The Bridle Path Initiative and the communities it serves, and the ability to translate that mission into compelling and fundable funding language.

The most important qualities we are looking for are practical fundraising knowledge, attention to detail, reliability and the ability to work independently and flexibly alongside a small but driven founding team. The volunteer should be comfortable working remotely and communicating by email and video call.

We welcome applications from people at any stage of their fundraising career, including recently retired fundraising professionals, those returning to work, or those looking to use their skills for social good alongside their main career.

What difference will you make?

This role will have a significant impact on The Bridle Path Initiative CIC at a crucial early stage of development.

As a newly registered CIC, we have a clear mission, strong frontline experience and growing interest from professionals and organisations, but we need support to build a sustainable funding base. The right volunteer will help us turn our ideas, evidence and early momentum into clear, fundable projects that can attract grants, sponsorship and long-term support.

Your input will help us identify the right funding opportunities, strengthen applications, shape realistic budgets and develop a fundraising pipeline. This will directly increase our ability to secure the resources needed to provide specialist advocacy, safety planning, awareness raising and trauma-informed recovery programmes for survivors in rural, farming and equestrian communities.

By helping us become more financially sustainable, you will be supporting a service that aims to reach people who are often hidden, isolated and not fully understood by mainstream domestic abuse services. Survivors in these communities may face barriers linked to animals, land, livelihood, stigma, financial dependence and geographic isolation. Your fundraising support will help ensure that these experiences are recognised and responded to with specialist knowledge.

The role will also help us build confidence as a new organisation. Strong funding advice and practical fundraising systems will allow us to plan more effectively, approach funders professionally and develop services in a responsible and sustainable way.

Your skills will not just help us raise money. They will help us build the foundations of a specialist organisation that can grow, reach more people and create lasting change.

With your support, The Bridle Path Initiative can move from early-stage development into meaningful delivery for survivors who need to know that support does not stop at the gate.

Additional information

You can download the following documents:

Before you apply

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with The Bridle Path Initiative CIC.

When you apply, please include a brief note describing your fundraising experience, the types of grants or funding you have worked with, and what draws you to the work of The Bridle Path Initiative. A CV or LinkedIn profile is helpful but not essential.

We will review all applications on a rolling basis and aim to get back to every applicant within two weeks of receiving their application. There is no fixed closing date so we encourage you to apply as soon as you are ready.

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to a short informal video call with our founder Kirsty Judd, usually around 30 minutes, to talk through the role, answer any questions and make sure it is the right fit for both sides.

We are a newly registered CIC at an early and exciting stage of development. We are looking for someone who shares our passion for reaching survivors in rural, farming and equestrian communities who currently have nowhere to turn.