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The Sainsbury Laboratory

Case Study
Fundraising Feasibility Study

From May to December 2020, we worked in partnership with the Sainsbury Laboratory (TSL) and the John Innes Centre (JIC) providing project management and fundraising advisory support for their joint HP3 – Healthy Plants, Healthy People, Healthy Planet – project. They wanted to find out the fundraising potential for this project and so we were appointed to work within the Communications and Engagement Workstream to:

  • Support TSL and JIC leadership to develop relationships with prospective donors – advising, providing briefing notes, joining introductory meetings and guiding follow-up activity.
  • Prioritisation of prospects for early fundraising activity, and setting targets and developing bids.
  • Further prospect identification through networking with identified prospects.
  • Undertaking meetings and asks in partnership with TSL and on TSL’s behalf.
  • Supporting the project to secure early support from the Wolfson Foundation.
  • Regular reporting to the HP3 project team on progress and anticipated results.
  • Liaising with the HP3 team to support their UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) bid.
  • Senior guidance on Public Affairs and Government relations in support of the UKRI bid.
  • Setting up a prospect management system for the project, ensuring accurate records were kept for handover.

As of January 2021, outcomes of our work have included:

  • Awarded £5.2m by UKRI.
  • Stage one application submitted to the Wolfson Foundation (potential value £5m).
  • Confirmation of funding (five figures) by AgriFood Charities.
  • Stakeholder list of 30+ high net worth individuals (HNWIs) and trusts for further cultivation