Grant writing · Funding strategy · Partnerships

Fundraising

Dušan Josip Smodej develops grant applications, funding strategies and sponsorship materials for cultural organisations, charities, educational initiatives and creative businesses across the UK and Europe.

Practice

Fundraising is approached as part of institution-building: connecting an organisation’s purpose to a credible programme, a workable structure and the people able to support it.

Smodej’s fundraising practice grew out of directing Fotopub Association from 2014 to 2022. Alongside artistic and executive leadership, he developed public applications, partnerships and sponsorship approaches that sustained a festival, project space, residencies, publishing and international collaborations.

From 2022 to 2025 he worked as Senior Grant Writer at Funded.team, preparing applications and funding materials for organisations in social care, community services, education, health and youth development. He continues this work independently for clients across cultural and creative fields.

The work moves between research and writing: identifying the right opportunity, clarifying the project, assembling evidence, shaping outcomes and translating an organisation’s knowledge into a persuasive application without losing its own language or priorities.

2014—2026Archive coverage

€5.7MFunds raised

266Funding documents indexed

33Client contexts

61Funders and prospects

Fields of work

Across sectors,
with specificity.

Culture & public art

Funding strategies for festivals, exhibitions, artist-led organisations, foundations, biennials and projects in public space.

Social care & health

Applications for organisations working with disability, migrant communities, food insecurity, homelessness and community wellbeing.

Education & youth

Cases for support around training, mentoring, access, youth development, physical literacy and routes into professional life.

Creative industries

Public funding, sponsorship and partnership development for design, fashion, publishing and independent creative practices.

Selected experience

Institutional knowledge,
applied to funding.

2022—2025

Funded.team

Senior Grant Writer

Grant applications, project proposals, opportunity research, cases for support and appeal materials for charities and community organisations. The client field included education and youth development, migrant support, disability and health, food and housing support, faith-based community work and creative learning.

2014—2022

Fotopub Association

Founder and Director

Long-term fundraising for a contemporary-art institution operating a festival, project space, educational programme, residencies and international collaborations. The funding mix crossed municipal and national programmes, European cooperation, embassies, foundations and corporate partnerships.

2024—current

Sardegna Biennale

Artistic Director

Funding research and institutional development for a new cultural platform in Sardinia, including public programmes, regional and national funding routes, international partnerships and private support.

Project-based

Culture and creative practice

Independent fundraising

Project and organisational development for the ULAY Foundation, The New Centre for Research and Practice, cultural associations, art foundations, independent artists, designers and creative-industry initiatives.

Selected clients

Across culture,
care and education.

Services

From first research
to final submission.

Funding strategy

Mapping the project, organisational need and realistic mix of public, private and corporate support.

Prospect research

Identifying relevant funders, programmes and partners across the UK, European Union and wider international field.

Grant applications

Developing complete applications, expressions of interest, concept notes, project proposals and letters of appeal.

Case for support

Turning programmes and ambitions into clear accounts of need, activity, public value, outcomes and long-term relevance.

Application development

Aligning narrative, delivery plan, timetable, budget logic, evidence and monitoring with each funder’s criteria.

Sponsorship materials

Preparing partnership propositions, sponsorship decks, outreach materials and tailored approaches to prospective supporters.

Funding landscape

Funders and
programmes addressed

Experience spans European, national and regional public funding, charitable trusts and foundations, cultural institutes and corporate partnerships.

European Commission

Creative Europe Culture Strand
EU Cohesion Fund
Regional Development Fund
Youth in Action
Erasmus+

National & cultural institutes

Ministry of Culture of Slovenia
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia
Ministry of Education of Slovenia
National Film Fund of Slovenia
Centre for Creativity Slovenia
Ministry of Culture of Italy
Regione Autonoma della Sardegna
Regione di Veneto
Regione di Emilia Romagna
Goethe Institut
Pro Helvetia
Mondriaan Fonds
AC/E Accion Cultural
British Council
Arts Council UK
Frame Contemporary Art Finland
US Department of State
Adam Mickiewicz Institute

Private funders & foundations

Allianz Kulturstiftung
Erste Stiftung
Moleskine Foundation
European Cultural Foundation
Foundation for Arts Initiatives
Garfield Weston Foundation
P F Charitable Trust
AD Charitable Trust
National Lottery England
Fondazione Sardegna
Stavros Niarchos Foundation
UPA per la Cultura
Trusthouse Foundation
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation