Fundraising Campaign Development

What will you be doing?

Dog Desk Animal Action CIC is looking for an experienced and proactive volunteer to help strengthen and grow our existing fundraising initiatives.

We are a small UK social enterprise delivering practical animal welfare programmes in the UK and Türkiye, alongside international research and advocacy. Our fundraising activities are established and already generate income, but we recognise that they have considerably more potential.

We are not looking for someone to create new fundraising schemes. We need someone who can examine what we are already doing, identify opportunities for improvement and take an active role in developing practical solutions.

Key responsibilities include:

• Review our existing fundraising initiatives individually, including monthly medical appeals, animal sponsorships, raffles, auctions, online retail and participation-based fundraising campaigns.
• Assess each initiative's current approach, audience, promotional activity and available performance information.
• Identify realistic opportunities to increase participation, attract new supporters, improve repeat engagement and generate additional income.
• Develop practical improvements to campaign messaging, supporter journeys, promotional materials and external distribution.
• Research and pursue appropriate opportunities to promote individual campaigns through relevant organisations, communities, publications and external networks.
• Work with DDAA's leadership to test agreed improvements and assess their effectiveness.
• Establish simple ways to measure progress, including participation, engagement and income where relevant.
• Produce clear, usable campaign materials and recommendations that can be implemented without creating substantial additional work for our small team.

How the role will work

We will focus on one fundraising initiative at a time, allowing the volunteer to understand each campaign properly, develop improvements and evaluate the results before moving to the next.

The volunteer will have considerable independence in researching opportunities, preparing materials and developing agreed activities, with occasional online discussions with DDAA's leadership.

No access to organisational financial accounts, donor databases, email accounts or social media accounts will be required. External communications and campaign changes will be agreed with DDAA before implementation.

What we hope to achieve

We want to make better use of the fundraising initiatives we have already built, rather than continually adding new activities.

This is a practical development role for someone who enjoys solving problems, improving performance and seeing measurable results from their work.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for an experienced, resourceful and self-motivated individual who understands how to develop fundraising campaigns, improve participation and turn existing opportunities into stronger results.

The ideal volunteer will have practical experience in fundraising campaign development, nonprofit marketing, donor engagement or a closely related field. We are particularly interested in people who have successfully improved the performance of existing campaigns rather than only launched new ones.

Essential qualities and experience

• Demonstrable experience in fundraising, campaign development, supporter engagement or marketing.
• Ability to review campaign performance, identify weaknesses and develop realistic improvements.
• Understanding of what motivates people to donate, participate in fundraising activities and continue supporting an organisation.
• Experience developing effective fundraising messages, promotional approaches or supporter communications.
• Strong research and analytical skills, with the ability to assess results and recognise opportunities for growth.
• Confidence working independently, taking initiative and progressing agreed activities without close supervision.
• Practical problem-solving skills and a willingness to contribute directly to campaign development rather than simply provide recommendations.
• Clear written communication and the ability to present ideas and results concisely.

Particularly valuable experience

Experience improving donation appeals, regular giving, animal sponsorship programmes, community fundraising or online fundraising campaigns would be especially useful.

We would also welcome applicants with experience in conversion optimisation, fundraising communications, supporter retention or reaching new donor audiences.

How we work

Dog Desk Animal Action is a small organisation with limited administrative capacity. We therefore need someone comfortable taking responsibility for an agreed project, working independently and producing usable outcomes.

We value initiative, sound judgement, creativity and the ability to work within realistic resource constraints.

The volunteer will work directly with our leadership team, focusing on one fundraising initiative at a time. No access to organisational accounts, donor databases or internal systems is required.

An interest in animal welfare is important, but previous experience in the animal welfare sector is not essential.

Above all, we are looking for someone who enjoys making established campaigns work better and can demonstrate how their skills have contributed to practical, measurable improvements.

What difference will you make?

Dog Desk Animal Action CIC operates with a small team and limited resources, yet our responsibilities extend across veterinary care, rehabilitation, sanctuary provision, community support and international animal welfare investigations.

Our existing fundraising initiatives make this work possible. However, while they generate valuable income, they are not yet achieving their full potential. Increasing their effectiveness would make a direct and meaningful difference to the animals and communities we support.

Our monthly medical appeals help fund essential veterinary treatment for injured and seriously ill animals. Sponsorships contribute towards the ongoing care of animals who may remain dependent on us for life. Other fundraising activities help sustain our wider programmes, including sterilisation, nutritional support and emergency intervention.

In the UK, our community work helps households experiencing financial hardship provide food for their companion animals, reducing pressure on families and supporting animal welfare.

By helping us improve the performance of existing fundraising campaigns, this volunteer could contribute to more reliable income, greater supporter participation and improved financial sustainability.

Just as importantly, the role would help us understand which approaches are most effective, allowing us to concentrate our limited time and resources where they can make the greatest difference.

We are not expecting one volunteer to transform every fundraising initiative. Instead, we want to build sustainable improvements, one campaign at a time, that continue delivering benefits beyond the volunteer's immediate involvement.

For someone with experience in fundraising development, this is an opportunity to apply their professional skills to established activities, see the results of their contribution and help a small organisation achieve more with the resources it already has.

The ultimate impact is practical: more consistent funding means greater capacity to provide treatment, food, protection and long-term care for vulnerable animals.

Anything else...

Approximately 4–6 hours per week, arranged flexibly. The volunteer will focus on developing one fundraising initiative at a time, with regular progress updates. We request an initial three-month commitment, with the possibility of continuing longer by mutual agreement.