Gary Bentham has now been in the fundraising world for 20 years and in that time has either raised, or led teams to raise, over £12 million. The projects have ranged from art galleries through to prison rehabilitation projects. He is an Associate and Lottery Writer with Profunding who publish the Funding news Web site www.fundinginformation.org. Gary also runs his own training and consultancy business Charity Case, which specialises in fundraising training for the voluntary sector. Gary`s aim is always to try and take the myth out of fundraising and issues around this. He does not see himself as an expert in the black arts of fundraising, just a keeper of the book!

Fern Potter joined DU in 2004. She developed the organisation’s fundraising capacity from scratch and regularly raises funds from a variety of sources including Trusts and Foundations, individuals and corporates. Her multi-faceted approach demands expertise in writing proposals for both public and private funders. Over the past 15 years, she has developed a strong track-record in raising funds from public funders and Trusts and Foundations, particularly for contemporary dance, having held previous posts as Development Manager with George Piper Dancers, and founding Director of essexdance. During her seven years with essexdance she oversaw a considerable turnaround in the organisation’s artistic and financial fortunes, endorsed by a 300% increase in its Arts Council East funding. She holds a BA in Dance and Education from Rutgers University, New Jersey, and MA in Arts Management from City University, London. She is a regular lecturer University College, Chichester on fundraising for the arts.

Fabienne is one of the Midas Charity Appeals partners and has been fundraising for 13 years. She is an expert in statutory funding – namely grants from the UK government and international lottery, the European Commission and occasionally other European governments. She also has a wide-ranging knowledge of grant-making trusts and companies with an interest in international development and the environment. Fabienne has run training courses in proposal writing since 1995 for the Environment Trainers Network and in-house for a range of charities.