Freelance Fundraiser – The Cromwell Museum

The Cromwell Museum Huntingdon is looking for a freelance fundraiser to help it in its mission to create an internationally recognised centre to enable everyone to learn about the life, times, and legacy of Oliver Cromwell. 

Oliver Cromwell, one of the most important and influential figures in British history, was a champion of the Parliamentary cause during the Civil Wars, a leading cavalry commander, and, ultimately, Lord Protector, the first commoner to become Britain’s head of state. He established the modern British army, enhanced the navy, and promoted religious freedom. He is also a deeply controversial figure, due to his involvement in the trial and execution of Charles I and his ruthless military campaign in Ireland. It is the task of the Cromwell Museum to reflect these different debates, interpretations and to tell his story ‘Warts and all’.

The Cromwell Museum, in the building where Cromwell went to school, has an unsurpassed collection of artefacts, documents and many of Cromwell’s personal items, which allow us to engage as many people as possible with the story and significance of this extraordinary soldier and statesman. Under its curator, Stuart Orme, it has become one of the most highly regarded small museums in the country. We now seek to take the museum to the next level – and the appointment of a gifted and experienced fundraiser is crucial to these plans.

Therefore, the Cromwell Museum Trust is seeking to instruct an experienced freelance fundraising professional on an initial 12-month contract.

Objectives

The appointee will …

• Work with the Curator and the Board of Trustees to scope appropriate targets, developing a robust fundraising strategy for the museum and implementing the first year of this.
• Develop relations with High-Net-Worth individuals via the Cromwell Museum’s membership scheme and seek substantial legacies and donations from such individuals as well as external organisations.
• Help raise sufficient funds in that period to achieve the following …

1) Maintain an optimum situation in the day to day running of the museum.

2) Develop the digitization of the museum’s collection, an increasingly important task in our emergence from a post-Covid world, where online visitors and the digital role of education/outreach have taken on ever greater importance.

3) Continue sustaining our education officer post

4) Employ other staff to support the museum’s operations.

5) Develop an acquisition fund so that the museum can move quickly when appropriate items for its collection become available.

6) Help the museum develop and raise its profile as a springboard for its potential future expansion.

Requirements
Candidates should demonstrate a proven track record of working on project proposals in the cultural sector or other relevant sector (such as education). Fundraising for, and knowledge of, the museum sector would be advantageous and desirable.

They should have the ability to self-sufficiently plan and deliver successful funding applications.

They will have a sound working knowledge of the current criteria and strategic aims of the relevant trusts and foundations, along with an ability to match these effectively to the strategic aims of clients.

The successful appointee will report progress on a regular basis to the Curator and the Board of Trustees.

The maximum budget for this work will be £30,000, to include all expenses, VAT etc.

Applications and Deadlines

Those individuals or organisations wishing to apply to carry out this work should submit a tender to the Museum outlining briefly how they would undertake this work, including timescales and methodology, along with information on similar projects that they have completed to establish a track record of successful delivery.

Closing date: 5pm on Friday 9 July 2021

Tenders should be sent electronically (via e-mail or WeTransfer) to the Curator, Stuart Orme, at [email protected].

Any questions or requests for an informal discussion prior to application should also be sent via e-mail to the Curator.

Tenders will then be shortlisted, and applicants invited for an informal interview in mid-July, with work to be started from an agreed date in August.