A day in the life of a Community Fundraiser

Wondering what a Community Fundraiser does?

We caught up with Cathy Coulthard, Community and Events Development Manager at Home-Start Royston, Buntingford & South Cambridgeshire, to get the lowdown.

What does a Community Fundraiser do?

Being a community fundraiser means getting out into the community and raising the profile of the charity through face-to-face interaction, putting on large and small-scale events, organising activities for local people, and making sure the charity is known about.

The charity I work for is very localised (geographically, we cover a 50-mile stretch over the Cambridgeshire/Hertfordshire border), so our community is like a family.

Some community fundraisers work at a national level, but the same things apply: community fundraising is about engaging with people from all walks of life, and the key to doing it successfully is to enjoy it.

What skills would you say are essential for the role?

Being organised, approachable, flexible, and ready to do absolutely anything!

What does a typical day look like for you?

Generally, it starts with three cups of tea and the school run!

Once that’s dealt with, every day is different.

I might spend an hour designing posters or promoting social media posts, then another hour on a stall selling homemade cakes and cups of tea. Then I’ll be online, creating an interactive puzzle to sell as a fundraising activity, write a finance report for our board of trustees, and finish off chairing a meeting about fundraising activities for the next financial year.

It’s a rollercoaster!

What’s the best thing about your job?

The variety of activities I get involved in. From organising a marathon and selling Christmas cards to holding a collection tin in the market square and launching a pop-up tea shop – there really is nothing we don’t do!

What’s the most challenging thing about your job?

Making money! Fundraising through community events, especially in the last 18 months when most public activities have been cancelled or vastly reduced, is challenging. But sometimes it’s not about the financial gain. Sometimes it’s about making connections or creating a good impression. So one day in the future, someone I once spoke to will suddenly remember and – hey presto! There’s that donation we’ve been looking for.

What advice would you give a budding Community Fundraiser?

Volunteer first. Most charities would love to have a volunteer community fundraiser on board (I know I would) and there’s no better way to learn how to do it.

Cathy works for Home-Start Royston, Buntingford & South Cambridgeshire. (Home-Start) is a voluntary charitable organisation that offers practical and emotional support to families with at least one child aged nine or under.

They help families from all backgrounds through their most challenging times because childhood can’t wait. https://www.hsrsc.org.uk