Amy Stevens

Partnering with us

We all value great partnerships. The sort of relationships where trust is a given and the chemistry feels really exciting. This has always been at the core of our philosophy at Gifted. Working with outstanding people, to develop creative, bespoke and successful fundraising solutions is what we enjoy most.

Our clients are exceptional. They come to us from a wide range of sectors, experts in their field and committed to big visions that can be exhilarating and nerve wracking at the same time. It’s a privilege to work alongside talented people, who are looking to lean on us as experienced fundraising partners; whether this is around crafting National Lottery Heritage Fund bids or training leadership teams in major gift approaches. Our aim is to generate positive relationships that don’t dodge the difficult conversations and take ambitious projects through to completion.

Saying it like it is

I have a lot to thank my Yorkshire roots for. One of the most important things that living here has taught me is that clients appreciate clarity. They engage us to speak honestly, think creatively and advise wisely – hopefully that’s what they get from me!

Exceptional fundraising also requires a healthy optimism and a conviction that persistence usually bring the rewards you are looking for. And when you get them, it’s important to celebrate. There’s nothing more satisfying than being invited back by clients to revisit a project and be part of the opening event!

We’ve seen school leadership teams energised with confidence and devised cathedral corporate giving programmes that are now amongst some of the most successful church sponsorship ventures in the UK. This only happens when you understand the road an organisation has travelled and can bring the insight required to help them navigate the next bend. For example, we might suggest hands-on assistance with a targeted university campaign, provide board-level strategy development for an arts organisation, or deliver asking for the money workshops to an NHS charity; whatever the solution turns out to be, our experience tells us that a tailored advice, based on sound fundraising principles, is what really counts.

My own experience of running campaigns and guiding fundraising strategies for faith, education, animal welfare, health and community organisations has put me right at the heart of some inspirational philanthropy. Given close support and professional mentoring, I’ve witnessed even the most anxious of leadership teams overcome their concerns about peer to peer asking. With every new client I meet, it’s about helping leaders understand that a personal, direct approach to maximising fundraising targets, is what matters most.