Grant Research & Fundraising Strategy / Support
Challenge
Copalana is a Swiss-based social enterprise that connects people, non-profits, and socially responsible businesses to help create positive social and environmental impact. As we continue to grow, securing sustainable funding is essential to expanding our platform, developing new features, and supporting more organisations, volunteers, and corporate partners fulfill their missions.
We're looking for a volunteer to help us identify and pursue funding opportunities that align with Copalana's mission. This could include grants, foundations, innovation funds, corporate social responsibility programmes, philanthropic organisations, competitions, or other sources of financial support in Switzerland, across Europe, or internationally.
The scope of this role is intentionally flexible. Depending on your interests, experience, and availability, you might simply research promising opportunities, or you may choose to become more actively involved by helping prepare applications, making introductions, or even submitting grant applications on Copalana's behalf.
Your work will help strengthen Copalana's long-term sustainability, allowing us to support more organisations, empower more volunteers, and increase our social impact.
Expected outcome
Depending on the volunteer's experience and availability, the project may include some or all of the following:
- Research and identify grants, foundations, competitions, sponsorships, and other funding opportunities relevant to Copalana.
- Produce a prioritised shortlist of the most suitable opportunities, including eligibility requirements, deadlines, funding amounts, and application processes.
- Recommend which opportunities are likely to offer the greatest chance of success.
- Develop reusable grant application materials, including template responses, organisational descriptions, impact statements, budgets, and supporting documentation where appropriate.
- Draft application emails or letters of enquiry that can be adapted for future funding opportunities.
- Where possible, identify and facilitate introductions to funding organisations or relevant contacts within your professional network.
- If interested and appropriate, assist with preparing and submitting grant applications in collaboration with the Copalana team.
The exact scope can be tailored to the volunteer's skills, interests, and available time.
Resources provided
We'll provide everything needed to support the work, including:
- Background information about Copalana, our mission, impact, and long-term vision.
- Details of our products, services, and target audiences.
- Information on previous funding received, including successful grant applications where appropriate.
- Financial and organisational information required for grant applications.
- Access to key team members for discussions and clarification.
- Ongoing collaboration and feedback throughout the project.
Program structure
1. Introductions and background information
- Meet with the Copalana team to learn about our mission, strategy, funding needs, and previous fundraising efforts.
- Gain access to relevant organisational information and supporting materials.
2. Funding landscape research
- Research and evaluate potential funding opportunities.
- Produce a shortlist of promising grants and funding programmes, together with recommendations and next steps.
3. Application preparation
- Develop reusable application materials, including template responses, organisational summaries, and draft enquiry emails.
- Identify priority opportunities for immediate application.
4. Grant applications and outreach (optional)
- Collaborate with the Copalana team to prepare and refine grant applications.
- Where appropriate, submit applications, make introductions, or support conversations with potential funders.
5. Project Completion
- Deliver a final funding opportunities portfolio, together with reusable application resources and recommendations for future fundraising activities.
- Where possible, establish a pipeline of potential funding opportunities that Copalana can continue pursuing after the project concludes.
Skills
Languages
UN SDGs supported
Nonprofit mission
We want to make it simple and inspiring for everyone to contribute personally to solving socially relevant challenges. We envision a world in which it is easy for people to support others and to address the issues we face together.
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