Join us for an inspiring one-day conference “Meet the Funders” on Wednesday, 25 March at Everyday Church Wimbledon, just a short walk from Wimbledon rail station.

The event is a collaboration between six Councils for Voluntary Services (CVSs) from South West London, Sutton, Croydon, Wandsworth, Merton, Kingston and Richmond, working together to connect local groups with funding opportunities.

The day will be packed with expert insights, hands‑on learning, and valuable networking opportunities, designed to boost your fundraising confidence, skills, and strategy.

Groups based in SW London are eligible for a 50% discount. Please contact your local CVS to obtain your discount code, and remember to apply it at checkout: for Kingston is KVA50.

Due to the limited number of tickets allocated per borough (25), we will be operating on a first-come, first-served basis. In addition, we have limited bookings to one ticket per organisation to ensure as many groups as possible have the opportunity to attend. If you need more information about the event, or if the ticket cost is a barrier, please get in touch with your local CVS. They will be able to help.

 

What to Expect

This interactive event is your chance to meet funders in person, build relationships, ask questions, explore new trends, and strengthen your skills in securing funding.

The day will combine presentations, one-to-one conversations with funders, and practical workshops designed to support organisations at every stage of their funding journey, such as:

• Presentations, Discussion Panels & Workshops led by experienced funders and sector specialists

• Expert advice on applications, eligibility, budgeting, AI, funding strategy, impact, and more

• Marketplace conversations with major funders and support organisations

• Opportunities to connect with national and local funders, and peers across South West London

• Lunch and refreshments included to keep you fuelled throughout the day

 

Featuring Representatives From:

You’ll hear from and meet around 13 funders and partners, including:

• The National Lottery Community Fund

• London Funders

• The National Lottery Heritage Fund

• London Catalyst

• Shanly Foundation

• Haymarket

• Charity Excellence

• Directory of Social Change

• Groundwork

• Merton Giving

• Croydon Almshouses Grant Fund

• Superhighways (KVA)

• The Ethical Property Foundation

• The Real Junk Food project

 

Why Attend

Whether you're new to fundraising or looking to refine your approach, this event will help you build confidence, strengthen your income streams, sharpen your bids, and make valuable connections to take your project ideas forward.

 

Agenda

9:30 – 10:10: Registrations & Refreshments

10:10 – 10:30: Opening remarks - Welcome from Sara Milocco, Croydon Voluntary Action, and Special guest: Helen Mathie, Director of Policy & Partnerships, London Funders

10:30 – 11:00: Fraser Mycroft plus 6 other Officers, The National Lottery Community Fund

11:00 – 11:30: Shanly Foundation

11:30 – 11:40: Comfort break

11:40 – 12:25: Panel Discussion: Applications are over-subscribed: How competitive is it and how to stand out? Panellists: NLCF, London Funders and London Catalyst, facilitated by Sanja Djeric-Kane, CEO, Kingston Voluntary Action.

11:40 – 12:25: Panel Discussion: Exploring Corporate Partnerships. Panellists: Haymarket, The Real Junk Food Project, and more, TBC, facilitated by Julie Gavin, CEO, Richmond CVS.

12:25 – 13:10: Kristina Glenn MBE, London’s Giving

12:25 – 13:10: Tom Lowe, Groundwork

12:25 – 13:10: Cris Vasconcelos Ferreira, The National Lottery Heritage Fund

13:10 – 15:00: Marketplace (see below) + Lunch

13:50 – 15:30: Workshops (see below)

15:30 – 16:00: Closing Remarks Debra Allcock-Tyler - CEO, Directory for Social Change, CVS’s CEO TBC

 

Workshops

13:50 – 14:35: Purposeful AI Fundraising - Ian McLintock, Founder of Charity Excellence

13:50 – 14:35: An Introduction to Income Generation Strategy - Hilary Bell, Community Support & Development Expert

14:35 – 14:45: Comfort break

14:45 – 15:30: Budgeting for Funding Applications - Genny Jones, Community Accountant, Merton Connected

14:45 – 15:30: Evidencing Need in SWL: 8 Key Datasets to Look At - Kate White, Superhighways Manager, Superhighways (KVA)

 

Marketplace

• The National Lottery Community Fund

• The National Lottery Heritage Fund

• Shanly Foundation

• London Catalyst

• Groundwork

• Merton Giving

• Croydon Almshouses

• Ethical Property Foundation

• Superhighways

 

How to Book:

Book tickets

 

For more information, please visit the Funding Focus 2026 Webpage.