The Mark Astarita Fellowship
We are delighted to announce the Mark Astarita Fellowship, established in memory of Mark Astarita OBE and his lifelong dedication to advancing diversity within fundraising. Thanks to the generosity of AAW and other funders, we are able to offer a 50% subsidy of our fees for fundraising positions.
This fellowship will carry forward Mark’s commitment to ensuring that charities across the UK have access to diverse and exceptional fundraising talent, and more importantly, that this talent has equitable access to the profession.
Mark Astarita – an inspirational fundraiser
Mark was a beloved colleague at AAW Partnership. He died suddenly in April 2024 at the age of just 64. Throughout his career, he was known as a fearless fundraiser and a passionate advocate for the non-profit sector. His vision was to broaden the range of talent entering the profession, helping to shape a more inclusive future for fundraising.
To continue his important work, we are honoured to have been chosen by AAW to deliver the Fellowship through Charityworks over the next two years to support and develop the next generation of diverse fundraising professionals. Through this fellowship, we aim to honour Mark’s legacy and uphold the values he championed throughout his remarkable career.
How it works
The Fellowship will subsidise 50% of the programme fee for Host Organisations and place candidates who have faced a range of barriers entering the charity sector into their vacancies.
These barriers include those faced by applicants from working class backgrounds (a particular passion of Mark’s), and other marginalised or disadvantaged communities. It will support them into fundraising roles across the charity sector and give them access to the Charityworks programme and all its offers!