# Nine mentoring schemes for fundraisers

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2012/03/01/nine-mentoring-schemes-fundraisers/
- Published: 2012-03-01T12:39:39+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

The number of mentoring schemes available to fundraisers is growing, a most encouraging
development.

Here are those that I am aware of, but there are bound to be more. Feel free to 
add and link to others in the comments below.

### Arts Fundraiser Mentoring Programme 2012/13

This one year programme from Arts & Business “offers mid-career arts professionals
working in fundraising the opportunity to gain knowledge, skills, and best practice
advice from senior executive in the field”. Mentors in the past have included those
working at The National Portrait Gallery, The Sixteen, Chichester Festival Theatre,
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and Kettle’s Yard Gallery & House.

## Advertisement

[Applications are now being accepted for 2012/13](http://www.artsandbusiness.org.uk/Home/Central/arts-services/Arts_Training/Mentoring.aspx)
and must be returned together with a CV by 19 March 2012.

### Institute of Fundraising London region mentoring scheme 2012/13

This will match up to 28 people. Those taking part will attend an initial introductory
half day (all), one day of training (mentors only), one day of matching (mentors
and mentees), and will take part in an end of scheme evaluation process. The scheme
is supported by Harris Hill.

[Applications to be a mentor or mentee](http://www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk/groups/regional-london/london-region-mentoring-scheme)
close on 13 April 2012.

### Institute of Fundraising North East region mentoring scheme 2012/13

The [application process](http://www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk/groups/regional-north-east/mentoring-scheme)
closed on 23 February 2012.

### Institute of Fundraising North West region

[Applications](http://www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk/groups/regional-north-west/mentoring-scheme)
are currently open.

### Institute of Fundraising Northern Ireland

The mentoring programme has been designed to offer junior and middle management 
fundraisers access to the experience and knowledge of senior fundraisers and individuals
to help them over a twelve month period on a range of work related issues.

The deadline for [expressions of interest](http://www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk/groups/national-northern-ireland/ni-mentoring-scheme)
is 25 April 2012.

### Institute of Fundraising South West

Their [mentoring scheme](http://www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk/groups/regional-south-west)
was trialed in 2010/11 and has been successful so is continuing.

### Institute of Fundraising Corporate Fundraising SIG

The Corporate Fundraising special interest group are [planning to offer a mentoring programme](http://www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk/groups/sig-corporate-fundraisers).

### The Black Fundraisers Network

The Black Fundraisers Network runs an [informal mentoring scheme](http://bfn.org.uk/mentoring)

### Fundraising Ireland

[Fundraising Ireland](http://www.fundraisingireland.ie/training-development/mentoring)
launched a pilot mentoring programme in 2010.

### Other mentoring for fundraisers

There are other sources of mentoring and of course opportunities to mentor fundraisers.
For communications and digital skills try [The Media Trust](http://www.mediatrust.org).

There are organisations offering mentoring on a range of topics that might also 
be relevant to fundraisers or fundraisers at particular organisations, such as [The Small Charities Coalition](http://www.smallcharities.org.uk/skills-sharing-mentoring).

Various providers offer paid-for mentoring as one of their commercial services, 
including [Lesley Hynes Fundraising](http://www.lesleyhynesfundraising.co.uk/services/mentoring.html)
and [Wootton George Consulting](http://www.wgconsulting.co.uk/fundraising-services/fundraising-mentoring)

In addition many of the above groups and others, both formal and informal, share
advice and information online via various networks such as Yahoo! Groups and LinkedIn.
This isn’t formal mentoring of course, but these fora provide a useful source of
advice and encouragement. [UK Fundraising’s forum](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/forum)
has served fundraisers since 1996, and its [LinkedIn group for fundraisers](https://fundraising.co.uk/2012/03/01/nine-mentoring-schemes-fundraisers/ http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2420938&trk=hb_side_g)
is busy with conversations amongst its 2,945 members.

I’m sure I’ve missed other key mentoring networks. Feel free to add them below in
the comments. If there is a deadline for applications in 2012, do include that.

 * **[IoF East Midlands group launches buddy scheme](https://fundraising.co.uk/2015/05/05/iof-east-midlands-group-launches-buddy-scheme/)**(
   5 May 2015)
 * **[One week left to apply to Bethnal Green Ventures Autumn 2016 programme](https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/06/07/one-week-apply-bethnal-green-ventures-autumn-2016-programme/)**(
   7 June 2016)
 * **[Business mentors can enhance fundraising and help secure the future of charities](https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/12/21/business-mentors-can-enhance-fundraising-help-secure-future-charities/)**(
   21 December 2016)
