Tommy James

Grant Funding Consultant & Proposal Writer

Barnardo's • Freelance

Aug 2019 - May 2024 • 4 yrs 9 mos

As a Grant Funding Consultant at Charity Fundraising Ltd, I support NGOs, charities, and nonprofits across the UK in securing funding and delivering measurable social impact. My work spans the full grant lifecycle from funding research and opportunity identification through to proposal development, submission, and post-award reporting support. I identify suitable funding opportunities from UK trusts, foundations, the National Lottery Community Fund, local authorities, and corporate grant programmes matched to each client's mission and budget. I craft compelling, funder-ready grant proposals tailored to the specific requirements of each funding body and manage the entire application process from start to finish ensuring every submission is accurate, compliant, and on time. Beyond grant writing, I develop bespoke fundraising strategies to help charities diversify their income streams, write corporate sponsorship proposals to attract business partners and major donors, and advise clients on HMRC Gift Aid registration to maximise donation income. Sectors served include community development, youth services, mental health, homelessness, education, and disability support. Tommy transformed our grant applications completely. After three rejections, his rewritten proposal secured us £45,000 on the very first resubmission. Outstanding knowledge of UK charity funding. — Charity Director, Community NGO, London The fundraising strategy Tommy developed identified 14 new funding opportunities we had never considered. We won 3 of them within six months. Highly recommended. — CEO, Youth Charity, Manchester Professional, fast, and deeply knowledgeable about the UK charity sector. Tommy is the only grant writer we will ever use. — Trustee, Environmental Nonprofit, Birmingham