Free Grant Writing Surgery for Small Charities in the High Peak

By Raiser

Free, expert bid writing surgery for small charities. Plus: discover how an exciting new tool could transform your funding!

Date and time

Location

Buxton Visitor Centre & The Buxton Crescent Experience

The Crescent Buxton SK17 6BH United Kingdom

Agenda

9:30 AM - 9:45 AM

Arrival, tea/coffee, introductions

9:45 AM - 10:30 AM

Live grant writing surgery with Raiser founders

10:30 AM - 10:50 AM

Hands-on demo of Raiser.

10:50 AM - 11:00 AM

Q&A and wrap-up

Good to know

Highlights

1 hour, 30 minutes
In person
Paid venue parking

About this event

Grant fundraising in small charities is hard. It takes hours to prepare bids, the rules keep changing, and too often the money goes to the organisations with the biggest teams—not the ones doing the most important work.

Luke Wilkinson knows that pain first-hand. As a former charity CEO turned fundraising consultant, he’s helped countless small organisations navigate the confusing, time‑draining world of grant applications. He’s now on a mission to make it easier, simpler, and far less stressful for local leaders who already have more than enough on their plates.

At this free morning session in Buxton, Luke will run a practical grant writing surgery—sharing real tips, answering questions, and helping you unlock funding opportunities with less effort. He’ll be joined by his co‑founder James Poulter, who brings years of experience in marketing and brand work and is now leading the way in how AI is transforming workplaces everywhere.

Together, Luke and James are building Raiser—and you’ll be among the very first people in the UK to try it out. We believe we’re the only team in the country designing AI tools exclusively for small charities, because we know how much you matter. Small charities change lives every day, and you deserve technology that actually works for you.

Whether you’re wrestling with a half‑finished bid or just starting to think about fundraising, this session is for you. Come along, connect with peers, and leave with fresh ideas (and maybe a little less dread) about writing your next application.

Feel free to connect with us beforehand!

Luke: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilkinsonluke/

James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jpoulter/

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to bring anything?

Bring your laptop! Plus a current draft of a funding application we can work on during the session.

Do I need fundraising experience?

Nope. Fundraising isn’t a secret society you need to be initiated into. This session (and Raiser itself) is all about demystifying the dark, spooky art of bid writing so that local leaders (experts in their causes, not in expert bid-writers) can finally feel at home with the process.

Is parking available?

Yes. Pay-and-display parking is available at The Slopes and Pavilion Gardens, a short walk from the venue.

Am I going to be sold something?

No hard sell here. You’ll get useful advice for your grant fundraising journey, and a chance to try Raiser if you’d like. Plus a little freebie for coming along.

Do I have to be a charity to attend?

The session is aimed at small charities raising money for community causes. CICs and community groups are welcome too, but only registered charities will be able to set up a Raiser account on the day.

Organized by

Raiser

Raiser helps small charities raise more money with less stress. We combine fundraising know‑how and cutting‑edge AI to make grant writing simpler, faster, and more effective for the organisations that matter most.