Call for proposals

FuNdraising Consultancy

Into the Light is an ambitious cultural regeneration programme led by Durham County Council, Durham University, and nine cultural partners. Born out of County Durham’s 2025 UK City of Culture bid, the initiative sits at the intersection of public policy, academic research, and community creative practice. 

ITL is currently entering its final year of initial investment from Durham County Council and Place Partnership funding from Arts Council England (ending March 2027). To ensure long-term resilience, ITL has finalized a comprehensive Funding Plan (2026–2030) to raise a minimum of £350,000 annually to cover core team infrastructure and core project delivery costs. 

A critical structural challenge is that ITL is not currently a legally constituted independent charity. It is hosted by Visit County Durham Ltd. Consequently, immediate trust and foundation bids must be creatively structured or fronted by established charitable partners within the network. 

We are seeking an experienced, proactive Freelance Bid Writer to augment our small team’s capacity and rapidly translate our fundraising pipeline into successful grant submissions. 

CALL FOR TENDER

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CALL FOR TENDER *

Download the brief for proposals

The key details

We are seeking an experienced, proactive Freelance Bid Writer to augment our small team’s capacity and rapidly translate our fundraising pipeline into successful grant submissions. Details of the opportunity are outlined in the attached brief.

The appointed freelancer will work alongside the Into the Light team, take immediate ownership of the autumn/winter 2026 application pipeline.

CONTRACT DETAILS:

  • The maximum budget for this work is £6,000.  

  • Respondents should indicate their day rate (or day rate for each team member where relevant), the total number of days available, and the anticipated outcomes of the work. 

Submission Deadline: Midday 27th October 2026

Please submit your CV, a brief cover letter outlining your relevant statutory bidding successes, and your day rate/project fee expectations to e.creaby-attwood@visitcountydurham.org