News & Insight

22nd October 2018

Welcome Carlos Carasco!

Carlos joined the Philanthropy Company team in September. After a month of working with us, he’s become an integral member of the team, and we’d love to introduce him to you. Here’s our Q&A with him, where he shares insight into his role with Philanthropy Company, what drives him in his work, and why he likes to take pictures. Read on to find out more about him…

What’s your role at Philanthropy Company?

I am the Fundraising Projects Executive. I help clients with their campaigns and projects, seeing through the whole process from initial proposal to final report, and any kind of client interaction required in between. Often that might mean going in as an interim support or project managing a particular relationship.

What’s your background?

My main background is in community and events fundraising. I used to work at The Mix, the UK’s leading digital support service for young people. Essentially, when any group or individual wanted to fundraise for the charity, I’d be their main point of contact, guiding them through their fundraising journey, offering advice and support to help them be as successful as possible. It was really interesting to be part of such a dynamic organisation working towards some really important goals, with a big focus on mental wellbeing and creating opportunities through volunteering.

What attracted you to Philanthropy Company?

The main thing was about seeing the other side. In fundraising, you’re very much focused on moving onto the next thing, bringing in the funding for the next year or two years ahead. This role gives me the opportunity to step back and see how a charity is operated or how a foundation is running. I get to work with a wide range of different organisations, and feel I can give real value to their fundraising efforts by offering insights and perspectives from an outside, objective point of view.

What drives you professionally?

Having variety in a role is really important to me. Being involved in so many different projects is just really exciting. Also having a strong and supportive team around me is important. There’s a wonderful sense of energetic, shared purpose among the people here. We all feel we’re doing important work, and that galvanises us to continually strive to do better.

What do you love most about Philanthropy Company?

For me, it’s the flexibility that’s been given from the start. It’s clear that they care about their staff, and offering flexibility is one of the key ways they show this. They know that it allows me to work in the ways that I can be most productive for the company, and for our clients.

What do you do when you’re not working?

Feeling like I’ve made a difference is important to me in all areas of my life. So it’s a mixture of trying to make my own footprint over time, and doing things so that I can say, “I’ve made a change to…” whatever that is. I’m interested in environmental issues, and of course the current state of politics, so I’ve been doing a bit of campaigning around that. I also really enjoy photography, particularly being able to share a moment when you see something special and can translate that feeling to others. That feels good.

Interview by Alison Stibbe, 9 October 2018