Mentoring for Fundraising Leaders
You don’t have to have all the answers just because you’re the one leading the team
In short: One-to-one mentoring for new and experienced fundraising leaders. A mix of honest conversation, practical guidance and reflection, delivered as a series of sessions over an agreed period.
One of the things nobody really prepares you for when you move into fundraising leadership is how much of the job involves managing people, making decisions and navigating relationships, rather than fundraising itself.
You’re expected to set direction, support your team, manage budgets, influence trustees and keep income moving in the right direction. And sometimes you’re doing all of that without anyone you can really talk things through with.
I became a Head of Fundraising at 25, managing a team of five people. I knew how to fundraise, but I had a lot to learn about leadership.
Over the years, I’ve realised how valuable it is to have someone outside your organisation who understands the role, asks good questions and gives you the space to work things through. That’s what I aim to offer through mentoring.
A thinking partner who understands your world
It’s not about me telling you how to do your job or giving you a formula for becoming a good leader. It’s about helping you develop your own approach, build confidence in your decisions and work through the situations that come with leading fundraising.
We might explore:
Finding your feet in a new leadership role.
Managing people and having difficult conversations.
Building confidence in decision-making.
Managing upwards and working with trustees.
Setting priorities and managing competing demands.
Developing your leadership style.
Navigating organisational change.
Thinking about your career and what comes next.
Sometimes you’ll need a sounding board. Sometimes you’ll want practical advice from someone who’s experienced a similar situation. And sometimes you’ll simply benefit from having space to think without the pressure of needing an immediate answer.
“Thank you so much for your incredible support this year. It has genuinely been transformative.”
Amy Heritage
Director of Fundraising and Marketing, AKT
How mentoring works
We’ll begin by discussing what you’d like to get from the experience, the challenges you’re navigating and what would make the sessions useful.
From there, we’ll shape our conversations around your needs, with opportunities to reflect on progress and apply what you’re learning between sessions.
I want mentoring to feel like a useful, supportive part of your working life, rather than another thing on your to-do list.
Who is mentoring for?
I work with fundraising professionals at different stages of their leadership journey, particularly:
New Heads of Fundraising and Fundraising Managers.
Fundraisers stepping into their first people management role.
Experienced leaders navigating change or new responsibilities.
Fundraising professionals preparing for their next career step.
Leaders who would benefit from an experienced perspective outside their organisation.
I also work with charities that want to invest in the development and retention of their fundraising leaders.
A little more about my experience
Alongside mentoring fundraising professionals through my consultancy, I’m involved in mentoring programmes with The Elischer Foundation and FemMEntored.
Supporting people to grow in confidence, recognise their strengths and find their own way of leading is one of the most rewarding parts of my work.
Want structured group learning too? See Confident Fundraising Leadership →