Grants and Trusts Manager

Help us make art matter.

Firstsite is seeking an experienced and motivated Trusts & Grants Manager to lead our trusts and grants fundraising and secure vital income for our programmes, including Holiday Fun, YAK, exhibitions, learning, and community projects.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a creative and purpose-driven team and play a key role in shaping work that has real impact in our communities.

About the role

As our Trusts & Grants Manager, you will:

• Develop and deliver a proactive trusts and grants fundraising strategy.
• Secure funding from trusts, foundations, and statutory bodies, with a target of £120,000 for 2026/27, contributing to an overall organisational target of £300,000.
• Identify and research new prospects, write high-quality funding applications, and produce compelling cases for support.
• Manage the grants pipeline, deadlines, and reporting requirements.
• Work collaboratively across the organisation to gather budgets, impact data, and programme information.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with funders.
• Uphold best practice in safeguarding when working with young people through programmes such as YAK.

You will be the organisation s specialist in trusts and grants, supported by the Head of Philanthropy and working closely with colleagues across Firstsite.

About Firstsite

Our mission is to ensure art and creativity are valued for their integral role in shaping a happy and healthy society for everyone. We do this by championing creativity as a catalyst for positive change in society, celebrating everyone's imaginations as places to shape a better future and demonstrating the impact of art and galleries at the centre of everyday life.

We collaborate with people where, together, we can have the most impact and we share the results of our work with diverse audiences to influence change. We do this in three places: in our award-winning gallery, reflecting our radical region and digitally with audiences around the world. To do this well we have four values that help us do what we do, to the best of our abilities:

Creative Inclusive Agile Responsible

Who we re looking for

Essential

• Proven experience securing income from trusts, foundations, or statutory funders.
• Strong research skills and ability to identify new funding opportunities.
• Excellent written communication and proposal-writing ability.
• Highly organised, able to manage multiple deadlines and coordinate information.
• Collaborative, confident working with teams, partners, and stakeholders.

Desirable

• Experience in arts, culture, or charity sectors.
• Understanding of impact measurement and evaluation.
• Experience coordinating or supporting volunteers.

Key Responsibilities

• Research new funding opportunities and develop a proactive grants strategy.
• Draft and submit funding applications and proposals.
• Maintain an accurate pipeline and deliver timely reports.
• Work with programme teams to gather budgets, outcomes, and evidence.
• Ensure funder reporting and compliance requirements are met.
• Support stewardship of funders and shape Firstsite s case for support.
• Coordinate fundraising activity with the wider team.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata)
• Contributory pension scheme (conditions apply)
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Tailored training and development
• Staff discount in our café and shop