Tender brief - fundraising

About Music In Detention

Music In Detention (MID) has been taking music-making into immigration detention centres since 2005, and out again into the community since 2007. We remain the only organisation in the UK focused on arts provision in immigration detention, and have pioneered the use of music-making to connect detainees to excluded and stigmatised groups in the community, enabling them to create and exchange music and lyrics with each other and build empathy and solidarity. We meet their urgent need for self-expression, bring them the joy of creativity and help them to find how much they have in common.

About 30,000 people a year are detained in Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs) in the UK. They are held for administrative purposes while the authorities seek to arrange for their removal. About half of them, after undergoing detention, will then be released into the UK community. Detainees’ histories are marked by dislocation, insecurity and trauma. Detention compounds these with the continuous insecurity of an indefinite ‘sentence’ and the deeply-felt injustice of being imprisoned without charge or trial. Detainees cannot plan for the future since their lives are on hold, and they are segregated and hidden from the wider community.

Over the past yearMIDhas been deliveringmusic activities in four of the UK’s ten detention centres. Sessions are led by experienced musicians who are also skilled facilitators. Detainees participate at whatever level they feel comfortable. They write their own lyrics, sing, dance, and drum, and the music they create is then recorded onto CDs and uploaded online for others to enjoy too. We use the same method with local communities near IRCs, running workshops with people of all ages who are also experiencing exclusion and disadvantage. Lead musicians go back and forth between the two groups, enabling participants to share lyrics, music, ideas and experiences, and to create music that speaks to their own and each others’ experiences.

MID helps participants develop and express optimism, social support, purposefulness and self-efficacy: recognised elements in emotional resilience. Successive evaluations have shown powerful immediate relief and lasting changes in self-perception. Detainees express emotions productively, become absorbed in music-making, connect to others, create positive and protective memories, positively reframe their situation, focus on their strengths, feel useful and imagine a better future. Marginalised young people in the community havebecome less anxious, more confident to express feelings and seek support, better at interacting, reflecting and communicating about personal experiences, and more positive about themselves and each other. We have also found changes in outlook around immigration and increases in mutual support.

Our new strategy seeks over the next six years to increase MID’s social impact in detention centres and communities, raise the artistic quality of its work and bring it to new audiences. We know artistic quality and social impact are mutually reinforcing; now we aim to make them equal partners in the way MID works and thinks. The strategy’s key aims are to:

  • Expand our coverage of the detention system from 4, to 8, out of 10 IRCs in the UK
  • Intensify our support to detainees and link it more to other services in IRCs which support their wellbeing, eg chaplaincy and healthcare
  • Develop artistic leadership in MID and the work’s artistic quality
  • Offer more projects in the community
  • Make live performance to diverse and excluded audiences a regular part of our work
  • Develop work to deliver changes in attitudes around migration
  • Increase MID’s profile and community of supporters
  • Build up our reserves and develop a stable annual income

Context

MID’s annual expenditure has been in the range £200,000-250,000 since 2008. We have historically secured around 85% of income from trusts and foundations. In 2014, we launched an individual giving programme, which has delivered uneven but useful results. In addition, we earn regular fee income from Immigration Removal Centres.

Maintaining income levels and delivery commitments has at times proved very challenging. Our steady financial position has been maintained through strong financial control, and when necessary, cuts in expenditure. We start each financial year without all the funds it requires in place, making in-year fundraising a necessity, and holding back the growth of reserves, which are at a lower level than is desirable.

To address these challenges, we have made major changes to our fundraising operation during the last few years, not leastby increasing its budget. This has enabled us to improve research, structures and governance; engage with both low and high level individual supporters; develop communications practices to support fundraising; increase the volume and range of grant applications, including more project bids and a stronger artistic case for support; and bring in freelance fundraisers to provide a dedicated resource, in addition to MID’s Director.

These changes have begun to have some positive impact. We’re seeing more consistent outcomes, reduced pressure on costs and modest growth in the expenditure budget. The next priority is to increase our income, and consolidate the improvements that we have made. In addition, to deliver the intended outcomes of our new strategy over the next six years, we need to significantly improve our financial stability during the first of its two three-year phases. We have set ourselves two key measurable goals:

  • By April 2020, 90% of fundraising income for the year to be secured before the start of the year.
  • Contingency reserve (currently £12,000) to rise to £50,000 by 2020 and to three months’ running costs by 2023.

The further development and strengthening of our fundraising operation is a high priority.

The brief

MID’s fundraising positions have become free as our previous fundraisers have moved on to other work. This isa key moment in the development of our fundraisingwork, so there is a big opportunity for appropriately experienced professionals to make a game-changing difference to the impact of this small charity, and its unique programme of work.

We are looking to engage an organisation or one or more individuals to lead our fundraising programme and take it forward, with the support and involvement of MID’s Director. Key deliverables will be:

1.Overall

(a)Raiseat least £100,000 for the 2018-19 financial year, by the end of March 2018

(b)Subsequent targets: to raise approx £320,000 during the 2018-19 financial year, rising to £360,000 in 2019-20 and £420,000 in 2020-21

(c)Produce a fundraising strategy to support the delivery of MID’s wider strategic plan

(d)Prepare to bring fundraising in-house, including through the appointment of a Development Manager or similar post, by 2020

2.Grant fundraising

(a)Take charge of grant fundraising, under the Director’s supervision

(b)Continue to submit grant applications so that the bid pipeline is always well populated with strong bids of different types

(c)Use the strategy as a basis for core funding applications

(d)Prioritise multi-year grants, to build regular income

(e)Ensure that the bulk of MID’s income needs are met through grant fundraising, especially while individual giving matures

(f)Maintain a consistent and systematic fundraising operation

(g)Research and produce a grant fundraising plan for the next three years

(h)Maintain and improve relevant systems

3.Individual giving

(a)Develop a stable annual income, growing each year, from individual gifts

(b)Develop relationships with existing and new prospects at a purposeful, respectful pace

(c)Lead the cultivation of potential major donors, involving others as appropriate, and secure substantial gifts.

(d)Grow our community of active supporters,including through data acquisition and the networks of existing contacts

(e)Build support in the legal and music professions through targeted approaches via supportive individuals and organisations

(f)Establish patterns and systems for communications with donors, drawing as appropriate on stories of our music activities and participants

(g)Research and produce an individual giving plan for the next three years

(h)Hold an annual event to provide a focal point for developing relationships

(i)Maintain a consistent and systematic fundraising operation

(j)Maintain and improve relevant systems, including our new Donorfy CRM database

The above work programme reflects our current position and thinking, but it will always be evolving. We will look in this selection process for the ability to shape our fundraising strategy further, and if necessary to challenge it in a constructive and co-operative way.

This is above all a practical, operational brief. We are not looking for consultants to provide a strategy for us to deliver. We needpeople who will roll up their sleeves andmake concerted practical progress in the implementation of our existing plans. The short-term priority is to bring in substantial income. Over timewe will also want to see further shaping of our fundraising strategy, so that it supports and informs MID’s wider strategic development.

The successful applicant(s) will be able to demonstrate practical experience,a proven track record, and the skills to lead this vital segment of MID’s work, combined with the ability to work strategically, connect fundraising to other functions in the organisation and work closely with colleagues.

We have no set view of how best to procure the work and skills MID needs; we will divide the work up in whatever way we believe will deliver the best outcomes and according to the skills and experience of the strongest candidate(s). We will consider letting one contract to a single team which can provide a full service, or alternatively contracting separately with talented individuals who will work together. We are also happy to consider direct employment as an alternative to freelance contracts, for the right individual(s).

We envisage that this programme of work willcontinue for twoyears. Looking ahead we see the value of gradually increasing integration between fundraising and other strands of work, such as project development, evaluation and communications. As stated above, we intend to move towards bringing fundraising ‘in house’, through the appointment of a staff fundraiser by 2020.

Budget

At this stage we have identified a budget of £17,000up to the end of March for this work (please note: we cannot reclaim VAT so this is an inclusive figure). £10,000 of this is currently allocated to grant fundraising and £7,000 to individual giving; we can vire between these two budgets if there is a strong argument for doing so. Some support will also be available for tasks such as administration, research and event management, from MID’s existing core team of staff and volunteers.

The budget for the year from April 2018 is yet to be finalised. Our projections envisage continuing to spend approx £27,000 per year on fundraising. This is naturally somewhat dependent on future fundraising outcomes. However, experience has confirmed the relationship between well-used resource and results. Since we want MID to grow, we will also look to increase the fundraising budget, should fundraising outcomes allow this.

We fully intend this work to continue through the 2018-19 financial year, and expect it continue beyond that time. We will contract initially up to the end of March 2018, in line with our budget cycle, and will review the arrangements and budget at that point.

MID is a small charity on a tight budget, and value for money is a key consideration. We have no fixed view as regards day rate and will assess proposals on their merits.

Other requirements

  1. Work with the Director and others to implement, review and develop the organisation’s fundraising strategy
  2. Develop, manage and maintain excellent relationships with potential and existing funders and donors, in liaison with the Director.
  3. Contribute to the production of reports for funders and donors
  4. Build up and maintain close knowledge of MID’s music activities, and ensure that the case for support is always relevant and up to date
  5. Provide clear guidance to MID personnel providing administrative or other support to MID’s fundraising work.
  6. Work with trustees, staff, volunteers, partners, contractors and others as necessary in order to ensure that different elements of fundraising are well co-ordinated and that they link appropriately to other areas of work, including financial planning, delivery, communications and evaluation.
  7. Review existing plans with the Director and trustees and agree key actions and targets.
  8. Review and update MID’s case for support, and help devise projects/packages to which donors can contribute.
  9. Contribute to the development of PR and communications work to build MID’s profile, including working with colleagues to identify key messages, opportunities and content.
  10. Develop systems and protocols for managing relationships with donors, ensuring compliance with Data Protection regulations (including the GDPR) and fundraising codes of practice.
  11. Report quarterly to MID’s Communications & Fundraising Sub-Committee, and as required.

Selection criteria

MID will assess proposals for the delivery of the above work, or elements of it, according to the criteria listed below. We do not ask every proposal to tick every box. If you are a specialist then we’ll assess you against the criteria relevant to your specialism.

  1. Substantial experience of fundraising, and proven track record of funds raised
  2. Exemplary communication and presentation skills, written and oral, and credibility with funders and donors
  3. Ability to make a compelling case for support for MID to funders and donors with different interests (e.g.arts, social justice, wellbeing) and requirements
  4. Understanding of MID: our work, context, ethos
  5. Knowledge of best practice in fundraising and relevant regulations
  6. Ability to work flexibly and effectively with limited time and resource
  7. High level strategic thinking with strong planning and organisational skills
  8. Ability to collaborate with colleagues and become part of our team
  9. Understanding of how fundraising needs to fit into the organisation and its work, and the ability to actively support this
  10. Value for money

Next steps

We invite proposals from individuals and organisations who have the skills and experience to deliver part or all of this work. Concise proposals should be submitted to Katie Bruce at 1.00pm on Friday1st December (email only please). Please include in your submission:

  • CV(s)
  • Twoexamples of relevant previous work
  • Contact details for previous clients/employers who you are happy for us to contact
  • Information on how you would approach this workand maximise income on the budget available
  • Evidence that you meet thoseselection criteria which are relevant to your proposal
  • Information on what you would need from us in order to succeed
  • Detailed costings

A note on attachments: it would be very helpful if you could collate all of the above material into a single Word or pdf file. If this is not possible for technical reasons, then please keep the number of files to a minimum. Please start all file names with the name of the applicant.

Additional material about MID is available as follows:

  • Introductory leaflet:
  • All our recorded songs and music:
  • Two short films: and
  • 2016-17 Annual Reports and Accounts: can be downloaded from the same webpage as this brief
  • We are happy to provide further background documentation on request.

You are also welcome to email John Speyer, MID’s Director, with queries or phone him for an informal discussion. However please note that he is unavailable 20th November-1st Decemberinclusive. If you need information between those dates please contact Liza Figueroa-Clark(contact details below).

We will assess allproposals carefully and shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview.These will take place on the afternoons ofFriday8thand Tuesday 12th December – so please keep thesetimes free.

Contact details

1.Organisation details

Music In Detention, Kings Place Music Base, 90 York Way, London, N1 9AG

| @MIDdetention |

2.Contact 13th-20th November

John Speyer, Director

07828 065624

3.Contact 20th November-1st December

Liza Figueroa-Clark

07525 925054

4.Email address for submission of proposals – by 1pm on Friday 1st December

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