Sally Carruthers, Senior Adviser - Philanthropy

Sally Carruthers has spent over 25 years working in the charitable sector to optimise performance, philanthropy and create organisations which offer donors and team members the best experience, whilst maximising impact, professionalism and outcomes for all.

Sally began her life in newspaper and magazine publishing, working globally in international syndication. Her first role in the charitable sector was as the development manager at the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, Wolfson College, University of Oxford. After this she has filled senior roles in house - at the Story Museum Oxford,  as the Campaign Director for OnSide Youth Zones, raising £40 million in 2 years for children and young people nationwide in areas of multiple deprivation,championing inclusion and social justice, to her latest role as Director of the Poetry School, an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation and the world's largest provider of poetry tuition, both online and in person. Whilst there she created the Laurel Prize for Ecopoetry with Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, to which he gives his Laureate's Stipend and the Ginkgo Prize for ecopoetry - both global they are the largest prizes of this nature in the world.

Sally has acted as a development consultant for a variety of charities over the years including The Royal Armouries, Roald Dahl Museum and the Poetry Archive, to name but a few. Her experience of working with ultra high net worth individuals, trusts and foundations, corporate partnerships with organisations such as Client Earth, Global Witness, L'Ecologiste, Cartier, Jo Malone, Selfridges and Fortnum and Mason have all given her a unique insight into providing donors and charities what they need to achieve their goals. She acts as a mentor and has considerable experience building exceptional, happy teams and nurturing talent.

Sally speaks fluent French, is finishing her first novel, enjoys sailing, skiing, woodland preservation and holds an MA in English Language and Literature from the University of Oxford. She is thrilled to be supporting the critical work of HBGI which holds great personal as well as professional meaning for her.