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SMART CJS is seeking a skilled and experienced Trusts and Foundations Bid Writer to play a key role in generating income from charitable trusts, foundations, and statutory funders. We’re looking for someone with a proven track record of writing successful funding applications and identifying new opportunities that align with SMART’s strategic goals in tackling homelessness and supporting vulnerable individuals in Bedford and the surrounding area.

This is an exciting time to join SMART CJS as we grow and respond to new funding opportunities. The role is primarily home-based, so the successful candidate must be able to work independently and manage their time effectively. Given the nature of our work, personal resilience is also important, as some of the stories and case studies used in funding applications can be emotionally challenging. The role will come with realistic targets.

Main Purpose of the Role

To identify, write, and submit compelling, well-researched and tailored funding applications to trusts, foundations, and relevant grant-giving bodies. The post holder will work closely with the CEO, Head of Business, and operational teams to gather information, write bids, and track progress of submissions, ensuring SMART CJS meets income targets.

Key Responsibilities

1. Fundraising and Bid Writing

• Research and identify suitable grant and funding opportunities from charitable trusts, foundations, and statutory bodies.
• Write and submit high-quality funding applications and proposals in line with SMART’s strategic priorities.
• Work collaboratively with service leads and frontline teams to gather accurate, up-to-date data and service information for applications.
• Tailor applications to funder requirements and priorities, ensuring persuasive storytelling and alignment with SMART’s mission.
• Manage a pipeline of applications and submissions, ensuring deadlines are met and income targets are tracked.
• Maintain and build relationships with key funders, providing timely reports and updates on grant-funded work.
• Work to realistic targets and KPIS and be able to feedback on these.

2. Organisational Development and Support

• Contribute to the strategic development of SMART’s income generation plans.
• Support development of strong internal bid and grant management systems, including templates, case studies, and project reporting tools.
• Monitor success rates and provide monthly reporting on funding performance to the Head of Business.
• Represent SMART CJS at funding briefings, webinars, and networking opportunities where appropriate.

3. Other Responsibilities

• Participate in SMART’s performance management and appraisal process.
• Comply with health and safety policies and procedures.
• Undertake any other duties commensurate with the role, as required by the Head of Business or CEO.

Person Specification

Criteria

Essential (E) / Desirable (D)

Minimum 2 years’ experience writing successful funding bids for a charity or not-for-profit organisation    E

Proven track record of securing funding from trusts, foundations, or statutory sources   E

Experience developing compelling cases for support and storytelling   E

Experience working with service delivery teams to gather evidence and data   E

Knowledge of the homelessness, housing, or social care sector   D

Experience using grant portals or CRM/fundraising databases   D

Project management experience or qualification   D

Excellent written and verbal communication skills   E

Strong time management and the ability to meet multiple deadlines   E

Highly organised and detail-oriented   E

Ability to work independently, using initiative in a home-based role   E

Personal resilience and emotional maturity to work with sensitive and sometimes distressing subject matter   E

Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion   E

About you 

You are a confident and experienced bid writer with a proven track record of securing funding from charitable trusts, foundations, and statutory sources. Your writing is compelling, clear, and rooted in evidence—able to turn service data and case studies into powerful narratives that align with funder priorities.

Organised and self-motivated, you thrive in a home-based role where you can manage your own workload and juggle multiple deadlines with ease. You’re skilled at collaborating with service teams to extract the information you need, and you bring emotional maturity and resilience to the table when working with sensitive content.

Whether you're identifying new funding opportunities, building strong funder relationships, or supporting SMART CJS’s strategic goals, you are driven by a desire to make a tangible difference in the lives of people facing homelessness and complex challenges. You’re not just a great writer—you’re a passionate advocate for change.

Respect is the UK charity stopping perpetrators of domestic abuse. We want a world where everyone is free from domestic abuse. Where it is never ok to control, harm or cause fear. Where those who perpetrate domestic abuse are stopped, held to account and given the chance to change. We will not stop, until domestic abuse stops. Founded in 2000 by Jo Todd CBE, who is still at the helm, Respect was established to focus on perpetrators of domestic abuse, and this, including our vital work with young people who cause harm, remains our key priority. Alongside this work, we deliver expert support to male victims of domestic abuse. Everything we do is shaped and driven by our values: we are pioneering, collaborative, accountable, and respectful.

This role is based within the Drive Partnership and be part of the pilot for the roll out of the positive requirement element of the DAPO’s.

We would particularly welcome applications from individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and across all protected characteristics1, particularly from people from the following under-represented groups:

• Black and minoritised people 

• Disabled people

We always welcome and support applications from those who have personal experience of domestic abuse.

About The Drive Partnership

The Drive Partnership, formed by Respect, SafeLives and Social Finance, is working to transform the national response to perpetrators of domestic abuse. We work to end domestic abuse and protect victims by disrupting, challenging, and changing the behaviour of those who are causing harm. Together we have developed the Drive Project to address a gap in work with high-harm, high-risk perpetrators of domestic abuse. We also work to advocate for systems and policy change- to develop sustainable, national systems that respond more effectively to all perpetrators of domestic abuse.

 The Drive Partnership vision 

Our vision is that by 2026 there will be a consistent approach which sees agencies in all PCC and local authority areas across England and Wales – backed by national leaders – working together to disrupt abuse and change behaviour to increase safety for victim survivors, including children and families.

Our Focus  

Respect was founded to focus on perpetrators of domestic abuse and this, including our vital work with young people who cause harm, is our key priority. Our work with male victims is an important, distinct, project.   

Our Vision   

We want a world where everyone is free from domestic abuse. Where it is never ok to control, harm or cause fear. Where those who perpetrate domestic abuse are stopped, held to account and given the chance to change.   

Our Mission  

We work with our members, partners and allies to stop the harms done by those who perpetrate domestic abuse. With innovative practice, robust research and quality data, we build evidence of what works, promote safe, effective practice and drive high standards. We use our voice, in collaboration with others, to call for a response to domestic abuse that matches the scale of the problem. We will not stop, until domestic abuse stops.   

Our Values  

• Pioneering:  We explore innovative ideas and develop new approaches with curiosity and rigour  

• Collaborative:  We work in partnership with our members, partners and allies to bring about individual, societal and systems change  

• Accountable:  We listen to survivors and centre their needs in our work. We hold perpetrators to account for their behaviour and hold ourselves and our members accountable for ours  

• Respectful:  We live up to our name. We are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in all that we do. We are honest, compassionate and boldly challenge injustice  

Our way of working

Partnership is fundamental to our way of working. We are second-tier organisation focusing on the continuous improvement of service models, sharing best practice and supporting specialist service providers to deliver. 

 We have three core strands of work: 

The Drive Project is our flagship intervention working with high-harm, high-risk and serial perpetrators of domestic abuse to prevent their abusive behaviour and protect victims. The Drive Project challenges perpetrators to change and works with partner agencies – like the police and social services – to disrupt abuse. It is currently being delivered in 9 police force areas. 

Restart is an innovative pilot project providing earlier intervention for families experiencing domestic abuse. It brings together domestic abuse services, children’s social care and housing teams to identify and respond to patterns of domestic abuse at an earlier stage. Restart is currently being delivered in five London Boroughs.  

The Drive National Systems Change programme works across the domestic abuse specialist sector, public sector partners and beyond to develop sustainable, national systems that respond to all perpetrators of domestic abuse.  We identify systemic gaps and build solutions that keep survivors safer by addressing those causing harm.

Background for the role

In April 2021 the Domestic Abuse Act received Royal Assent. The Act introduces a new civil Domestic Abuse Protection Notice (DAPN) to provide immediate protection following a domestic abuse incident, and a new civil Domestic Abuse Protection Order (DAPO) to provide flexible, longer-term protection for victims. DAPOs can impose both prohibitions and positive requirements on perpetrators. Positive requirements can be in the form of interventions aimed at reducing and managing risk, meeting the needs of an individual (for the factors that are not the causation of abuse but impact on risk e.g. mental ill health, substance misuse) and behaviour change interventions.

We were commissioned by the Home Office to design a triage model that will assess individuals for the suitability of these interventions, this triage model launched in November 2024 and will be tested and evaluated in order to prepare for national roll out in 2026.

 Purpose:   

The DAPO Service Manager will manage the operational, and strategic delivery of the DAPO team pilot working closely with the Practice and Development Lead and Programme Manager.

The postholder will have responsibility for managing all DAPO triage teams who are working locally and remotely in the DAPO pilot sites.

This role will require 

a) the effective line management of Triage Team Leaders (who in turn manage triage workers and IDVAs), in providing a high-quality frontline service triaging DAPO referrals for positive requirements

b) the development and maintenance of a multi-agency infra structure that actively engages with the triage team and the triage process 

c) working with the Practice and Development Lead and Programme Manager to ensure safe and effective delivery of the DAPO pilot triage process. 

d) support the development of the DAPO triage model through learning and analysis of the pilot delivery e.g. to initiate, develop, maintain and monitor multi-agency links through procedures and protocols, and to keep safety central to all services for perpetrators and victims of domestic abuse.   

For further information, please review the job description. 

We are looking for an experienced Trust Fundraiser with a background in securing income from charitable trusts and foundations to join our team to help Groundswell continue to create positive change in the lives of people, services and systems on their mission to tackle homeless health inequalities. Recently kicking off our new ‘Creating Positive Change’ strategy, coproduced by over 130 staff, volunteers, clients and partners, we have ambitious plans and a compelling model which in its simplest form promotes healthier lives and a better future for anyone who has experienced homelessness.  

The successful post holder will have experience in leading the development of well-written, compelling proposals and reports to charitable trusts and corporate foundations; demonstrating key relationship management skills to ensure all our funders feel part of Groundswell’s mission. You will be a flexible worker with strong organisational, research and written communication skills. You will pride yourself in collaborative working to ensure the most successful chance of securing income, whilst being a self-starter who can manage their own workload effectively.