A lot has happened since we said a fond farewell to Funding for All (FFA) founder and CEO, Nigel Turley, who took retirement at the beginning of 2019. We’ve undergone an extensive strategic review, navigated a global pandemic whilst continuing to support the Kent voluntary sector, grown the FFA family with two new additions (welcome little Olive and George), secured funding for the next three years thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund’s generous support and, last but not least, appointed Kerry Donati as our new Project Manager to lead us into our next chapter.
Kerry is no stranger to FFA having been with us every step of the way as a successful mentor and advocate of our work since our humble beginnings back in 2012. As Kerry transitions from FFA mentor to full time staff member, she’ll be saying goodbye to her Assistant Academy Director of Sixth Form position at Brockhill Park Performing Arts Academy in Hythe.
Chair of Funding for All, Sarah Avery, said
“We are pleased to appoint Kerry Donati as the FFA Project Manager. Kerry has a wealth of knowledge and experience of working with Kent and Medway VCSEs and as a valued mentor for many years. As part of this role, Kerry will be responsible for leading and delivering FFA’s important ‘That’s the Way to Do It’ project. This will continue to provide our core offering of a mentoring service but with a focus on increasing the hours and range of customised support available to groups to meet their changing development needs, in addition to offering a timetable of specialist webinars in various subjects and drop-in sessions.
We look forward to working with Kerry in building our strengths as an organisation that empowers, upskills and enables local charities and groups to build their fundraising capacity and secure a more sustainable future.”
Alongside a successful career in teaching and sharing her fundraising skills with the VCSEs we support, Kerry has also found time to establish Kent Play Clubs in response to the lack of affordable afterschool childcare provision for families. Kerry continues her involvement today as a trustee and volunteer fundraiser.
Kerry said
“I’m really looking forward to my new role at FFA as Project Manager. I’ve loved being a mentor for the past 14 years, and I have seen first-hand the real impact that mentoring makes. It’s all about upskilling and helping groups to know how to bring in the money they need for their projects. I’m a volunteer fundraiser myself, and I’ve been inspired by the mentees FFA has worked with over the years. I’m really looking forward to building our support for those amazing people helping Kent and Medway’s VCSEs achieve what they are trying to do”
Kerry has big plans for the future and has wasted no time getting stuck in! The expansion of our fundraising mentoring service, specialist webinars, drop-in funding advice sessions, new resources, and vacancies are all in the planning.
Exciting times are ahead for FFA and the county’s voluntary sector.
