Fundraising consultants typically offer a range of services. This can include strategic support, such as fundraising strategy development, and audits of an organisation’s activities and performance. Some also provide support in practical, day to day fundraising; for example grant-writing, database work and funding research. Whatever kind of support you need, always do some research first and make sure you take references before engaging with any fundraising consultant.

Yes. This ‘hands-on’ fundraising support includes writing trust applications, doing prospect research, drafting copy for an appeal or managing a fundraising event. When doing this, our goal is always to fundraise with rather than for the client. This ensures that learning, skills and confidence are embedded into your charity, so that you don’t become dependent on external support in the longer-term.

Our team of charity consultants can help you develop a fundraising strategy and can support with you with hands-on fundraising (such as grant writing, prospect research and help with CRM implementation). Some clients opt purely for strategic guidance; others want support with hands-on implementation; and some have a bespoke mix of both strategic and hands-on support. We will discuss all options with you and help you decide where would be best to start.

‘Freelance fundraiser’ and ‘fundraising consultant’ are often used interchangeably. The main difference is usually that a freelancer works alone and tends to have lower day rates. What should be noted is that with a freelancer, you don’t get the benefit of them being part of a multidisciplinary team.

Fundraising Consultants Ltd sometimes employs freelancers for specific projects, working alongside others in our core team. This gives clients the flexibility they need and means that they benefit from the combined skills and expertise of two or more fundraising specialists.

Finding an excellent charity consultant or freelance fundraiser requires an investment of time. Start by preparing a written brief: outlining your needs, challenges, fundraising targets and time-frame, and the type of help you think you need. Clarity at this stage will make all the difference.

Once you’ve identified some suitable charity consultants or freelancers, send them your brief. We recommend you speak to at least three consultants before making your decision. Word of mouth recommendations can be very helpful, so don’t be afraid to ask around! Much of our work comes through repeat business and word-of-mouth endorsement – personal recommendations work well for everyone.

Before commissioning a fundraising consultant, you should get a good grasp of their track record and experience; particularly in the specific field in which you are looking to use them. Which other clients have they worked for? Can they provide references and examples of their work? What is their approach? What values will guide your working relationship? Is the scope of work clear?

The Chartered Institute of Fundraising’s Directory of Fundraising Consultants  lists hundreds of freelance fundraisers and charity consultants across the UK. They also provide some useful guidance on commissioning a fundraising consultant.

Yes. The Fundraising Regulator stipulates that it is a legal requirement for charities to have a written contract with any external party which is helping them raise funds. This needs to set out the scope and terms of the assignment, including the nature of the work and the way it will be charged. If you decide to work with us, we will send you a scope of services and contract to sign. 

This is understandably a high-priority concern, and a question which comes particularly from very small organisations and those that are new to fundraising.

We always make clear to our clients that we always deliver to the very highest standards – we simply cannot guarantee outcomes. We can, for example, help you develop an outstanding funding application that is an excellent match for the charitable trust’s funding priorities and criteria, but if the outcome is that the funder decides to support a previous grantee running a similar project to yours, that is, of course, not something we can control.

We will review with you what a good fundraising return on investment might look like; this will include looking at benchmarking data, reviewing sector trends and measuring these against recent fundraising results. With some areas of support, such as developing a fundraising strategy, there won’t be a direct correlation between our input and your fundraising results.

The cost will depend on a number of factors: including the experience of the charity consultant who will work with you, the type and scale of work and the level of complexity and expertise required.

Work is charged either by a fixed fee (e.g. to develop a fundraising strategy or draft an agreed number of funding applications) or on a day-rate basis. Most of the charities we work with pay on a day-rate basis.

Yes. We want charities of all sized to be able to access our services – we offer a reduction on our day rate to charities with a turnover of less than £250,000.

This is a question that smaller charities often ask us. Although commission-based fundraising is legal, it is widely considered to be bad practice; including by the Chartered Institute of Fundraising and the Fundraising Regulator. Like other reputable consultants, we will not accept work on a commission basis and for good reasons.

Fundraising consultancy is an investment which repays itself many times over. You get a highly experienced charity consultant without the costs and time investment of an in-house member of staff.

For example, with a fundraising consultant or freelance fundraiser you do not have the burdens of:

• Buying and maintaining equipment, including laptops and phones
• Training and professional development
• Pension and National Insurance
• Organisational support: e.g. HR, health and safety, safeguarding and line management support

Fundraising Consultants Ltd understands the unique fundraising challenges facing Christian charities and those founded on Christian principles.
We have worked with many churches, Christian charities and faith-based causes over the years.

Clients include Oxford-based leadership charity, Innovista, international charities Bible Society and BMS World Mission,  Salisbury-based foodbank charity, the Trussell Trust, Reach Community Projects, a small church project in Suffolk, the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) and BMS World Mission.

For more insight into our work in this sector, please take a look at our testimonials and case studies from the different Christian charities and faith-based organisations we have worked with.

We work with clients across most of the main areas of charitable activity, in particular:

• Children & Young People
• Community and Social Welfare
• Education, Training and Employment
• Health and Medical
• Mental Health and Well-being
• Religion and Faith-based Causes
• Vulnerable Groups e.g. the elderly, those with disabilities, and the homeless

Our team of charity consultants live all across the UK. We cover a broad geographical area, working with charities across England and Wales.
Recent clients are based in Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey, Cornwall, Cambridgeshire, London and Surrey.

The Fundraising Consultants Ltd office is based in Reading, Berkshire.

Yes! In addition to supporting UK-based charities and CICs working overseas, we also work with clients located in the US and EU. We do not (currently) work with charities outside of these jurisdictions.

Yes. Our fundraising consultant Ethan Kuhn, who is a US national, leads our international fundraising work. With extensive experience of working with grant-making foundations in the US and Europe, we can help you identify the right international fundraising opportunities for you.

Yes. Like other reputable charity consultants, we have professional indemnity and public liability insurance. You should ask what cover your consultant has arranged and with whom. Since setting up the business over 10 years ago, we have never needed to make a claim on this.

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