Eligible organisations have a month left to apply to Catalyst Cymru - Heritage fundraising’s one-off free executive coaching programme, in which fundraising experts will show senior staff and board members how to improve their fundraising skills and help their groups thrive over the long term.

Delivered by leading Welsh heritage fundraising consultancy The Funding Centre, the coaching – which needs to be applied for by 1 May - would normally cost thousands of pounds.

Richard Roberts,Heritage Fundraising Project Officer at Catalyst Cymru: "The executive coaching package will help staff increase their skills, confidence and knowledge to fundraise from private and other income sources to sustain their organisation's future and be more resilient and capable of securing appropriate and diverse funding sources."

Applicants must be a heritage organisation as described by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF):

• Buildings and Monuments
• Community Heritage
• Cultures and Memories
• Land and natural heritage
• Industrial, maritime and transport
• Museums, libraries and archives

More detail can be found on  HLF's 'What we fund' section.

Coaching is open to organisations irrespective of their size or fundraising experience. The package is flexible but could include problem-solving sessions and training delivered in face-to-face meetings, phone/skype calls and emails.

Priority will be given to projects which show an organisational commitment to fundraising, which have the potential to demonstrate a step-change in fundraising, and which are willing to share the results of their training.

Catalyst Cymru - Heritage Fundraising is funded by HLF. and run by a partnership of third sector umbrella body Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA), the Welsh Government’s CyMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales, and The Funding Centre.

The programme is part of a broader partnership initiative between HLF, DCMS and Arts Council England, which aims to encourage private giving to culture and heritage, and to build the capacity and skills of cultural and heritage organisations to fundraise from private donors, corporate sources, trusts and foundations.

WCVA Chief Executive Ruth Marks said: "The Catalyst Cymru programme is an innovative collaboration that provides real benefits for the sector – this is an opportunity not to be missed."

To find out how you can apply, visit the WCVA website.

Notes to editors:

WCVA supports and represents the third sector in Wales, with more than 3,000 members including a wide range of organisations working on issues such as housing, economic regeneration, childcare, community development, transport, the environment and health.

​Further information

Richard Roberts, Executive Coaching, on tel: 01970 631148 or via email: richardroberts@wcva.org.uk

Lynne Reynolds on tel: 029 2043 1718