About the course

Want to improve your fundraising skills to enable more learning activities in your museum? Interested in deepening your understanding of the UK fundraising landscape with a focus on museum learning? Then our new course is for you.

This interactive 4-week course provides a comprehensive overview of fundraising for museum and heritage learning programmes in the UK. It will offer an in-depth overview of the UK funding landscape (from major funders, trusts and foundations – to local funding and individual sponsorships) and help you to identify the most relevant funding opportunities for your work.

Learn practical skills including:

• mapping potential funders
• creating a personal fundraising checklist
• drafting a funding application

Each participant will receive personalised feedback and support regarding their funding proposal through a one-to-one mentoring session with a Course Director.

The course will be led by Sam Cairns, Director at Cairns Crump and cultural learning consultant, with support from Rachel Tranter, GEM Director, and will include invited guest speakers from well-known funding organisations.

Who is the course for?

The course is aimed at people who:

• New to fundraising for learning activities
• Want to learn about the funding landscape
• Want to build their confidence in writing funding applications and developing a case for support

Course structure 

Session 1

23 September – Understand the fundraising landscape

Session 2

 21 November – Building budgets and relationships

Session 3

14 October – Making a convincing application

Success breeds success – how to make a convincing application: audience, experience, evaluation, monitoring to include a practical activity – start your case for support/ funding application

Session 4

21 October – 1:1 mentoring

1:1 mentoring – Sam and Rachel will provide mentoring support around your funding needs and case for support/application

When is it?

Tuesdays 23, 30 September & 14, 21 October 2025 on Zoom, 14:00 – 16:00

How much is it?

£130 – GEM Members

£180 – Non-members