Spencer Halls
I am a grant funding specialist with more than 25 years’ experience, including nine years working as a freelance consultant and interim fundraiser. I support charities at moments when their grants programme needs stability, focus or additional capacity — whether during recruitment gaps, periods of change, or particularly demanding phases of bid writing and reporting.
My work is centred on a mix of interim and more strategic assignments. I am expert in stewarding existing trusts and institutional portfolios, managing large grants and detailed reporting, and keeping funder relationships warm and well-informed. I work closely with delivery teams, finance colleagues, senior leadership and Trustees to ensure reporting is accurate, proportionate and credible, and that income is protected during transitions.
Alongside interim delivery, I also undertake trusts and foundations consultancy, helping organisations review and reset their approach. This can include clarifying strategic positioning, refreshing cases for support, rebuilding pipelines and setting a clear, fundable direction for the period ahead. Clients often value this perspective, particularly in a funding environment that is increasingly competitive and harder to navigate.
Fundraising and income generation, Interim management, Strategic planning, Training
Advice and counselling, Children, young people and families, Disability, Education and employment, Health and social care, Housing and homelessness, International development, Older people
Clients
Selected Clients & Recent Work
UK-Med
Trusts & Foundations Strategy and Programme Reset
UK-Med engaged me to re-boot its Trusts and Foundations programme after a dormant period. I conducted a full audit of the existing approach, identified gaps and opportunities, refreshed the narrative and cases for support, and developed a prioritised prospect list with tailored engagement plans. I also helped guide internal conversations to clarify and package UK-Med’s offer more effectively for trusts and foundations, resulting in a clear 12–18 month roadmap and re-activated funder relationships.
“We’re left with a strong set of proposals, re-activated and warm relationships, and a clear roadmap for delivering the next 18 months of work.”
— Holly Smith, Director of Fundraising, UK-Med
The Poppy Factory
Interim Trusts & Foundations Cover
I provided interim Trusts & Foundations cover while the organisation recruited permanently. This included stewarding the existing portfolio, writing and submitting key bids, producing high-quality reports, and refreshing core application and case-for-support templates. I worked closely with internal teams to extract the information needed quickly and ensured income and reporting remained on track throughout the transition period.
“Spencer settled in quickly… writing important bids and reports while we recruited permanently.”
— Clare Murray, Trusts & Foundations Manager, The Poppy Factory
CLAPA
Interim Trusts Fundraising & Programme Development
Over a sustained interim period, I led CLAPA’s trusts fundraising, developing its organisational case for support, outcomes framework and strategy, while writing major bids and reports. The work secured over £500k in grant income, including multi-year funding, and helped stabilise and grow services at a critical time for the organisation.
“You’ve raised over £500k and safeguarded the very survival of essential services.”
— Mikaela Conlin Hulme, Head of Income, CLAPA
Experience
Earlier in my career, I held senior grant fundraising roles across a range of charities, including NACRO, The Mental Health Foundation, Deafness Research UK, Youth Music and YMCA Central Hertfordshire, where I built and managed teams responsible for raising several million pounds in income. These roles gave me a strong grounding in what effective, sustainable grant fundraising looks like in practice: clear positioning, disciplined pipeline management, high-quality applications and reporting, and close working relationships with delivery teams and senior leadership.
For the past nine years, I have operated as a specialist Trusts & Foundations consultant and interim fundraiser. My work typically falls into four areas: auditing and resetting underperforming programmes; helping organisations establish a trusts function from scratch; providing interim cover during recruitment or parental leave; and boosting capacity around bid writing and grant reporting at particularly busy or high-stakes moments. Assignments are usually time-limited and tightly scoped, allowing me to add value quickly and leave organisations in a stronger position than when I arrived.
In interim roles, I am comfortable stewarding existing portfolios, managing complex pipelines and six-figure grants, and ensuring funder reporting remains accurate, timely and proportionate. In consultancy work, I focus on clarifying strategic fit, strengthening cases for support, prioritising prospects realistically and helping charities navigate an increasingly competitive funding environment.
I have also assessed grant applications for a Community Foundation, reviewing proposals across a range of themes and grant sizes. This experience informs my approach as an applicant, particularly in relation to clarity, risk, evidence and decision-maker expectations.
Across all roles, I am valued for my ability to adapt quickly, work constructively with a wide range of stakeholders, and combine strategic judgement with hands-on delivery.
