Work for bibic has included:
Critical review of grant applications and bespoke training for a Trusts Fundraiser.
Delivered a “pipeline push”, preparing grant applications which took the charity out of financial crisis to a position of 11 months reserves.
Complete redevelopment of the annual report and accounts, ensuring compliance and delivering gold standard practice.
Critical friend support to the CEO and Head of Fundraising, guiding on a number of strategic fundraising matters and enhancing the charity’s governance.
Development of a fundraising strategy.
Ongoing support with high value grant applications.
“I cannot recommend Karen enough! She has been a true asset to bibic. She has supported us to secure large grants which have turned around our financial position. She has also supported some of our fundraising staff with their own professional development and enabled them to blossom. She is passionate, focused, supportive and has become a part of the team even if she doesn’t work with us at the office. I would recommend Karen to any charity if they are looking for fundraising support with strategy, trusts, coaching, development, communications and much, much more.”
“I have enjoyed working with Karen whilst she was carrying out a trust fundraising project for bibic. Karen is extremely professional and conscientious in her approach to work, and goes the extra mile to ensure success. Her attention to detail is second to none. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Karen if you are thinking of looking to work with her in any aspect of fundraising in your charity. ”
“Karen has the great ability of gently guiding you on how to improve your funding applications. Her enthusiasm, knowledge and endless experience helped me to create targeted, professional applications that stimulated trusts to donate to us. Her mentorship does not stop when her consultancy ends as she sends regular emails of tips, trusts and ideas to help you continually improve your applications. Karen increased my skills as a fundraiser, but also, more importantly, my confidence – for which I am very grateful.”
Work for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance has included:
Critical review of high value grant applications during the large capital appeal “Operation Airbase” and providing mentoring support for the Trusts & Foundations Officer.
Review of the capital appeal prospect pipeline, with guidance on the development of gift tables to ensure sufficient prospects were identified for the desired income target.
Reserves policy redevelopment and advice.
Redeveloped a template grant application for future use.
“I wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank you for the invaluable support you’ve provided Ellie over the past few months. The experience has been incredibly positive for all of us, offering fresh perspectives and expert feedback on our T&F applications and pipeline processes. Your guidance has had a significant impact on Ellie, and I am confident that she will carry forward the insights and lessons she’s gained into all her future work. ”
“Thank you for helping HIOWAA over the last few months. Your detailed and honest suggestions about how to improve our trusts fundraising and capital fundraising have provided a foundation for how we will do things going forward. It has also helped me understand what type of information and level of detail funders would find beneficial, to increase our likeliness of success. Plus - you are such a lovely and down to earth person who understands the stress of a capital appeal!”
“Working with Karen gave our Trust and Foundation work a new and refined structure. As a critical friend, Karen worked through our case for support and applications adding clarity and relevant detail, while guiding our team through the early stages of their first ever capital appeal. Her help in shaping our annual review and accounts has been transformational, making our annual submission as transparent as it is impactful. We are forever grateful to Karen for her support and thoroughly enjoyed working with her.”
Work for Curzon Cinema and Arts has included:
Successfully led a capital appeal to restore the roof of this Grade II cinema to save it from closure. The campaign film won Silver in the People’s Choice at the Charity Film Awards 2020.
Led a second smaller capital appeal to reopen the balcony, closed since 1972.
“Karen did an extraordinary job fundraising for our roof restoration appeal. In just six months she exceeded her fundraising target by over 100%. She embraced the challenge with huge enthusiasm in which the ‘you’ quickly became ‘we’. Her innovative ideas, energy, tenacity and attention to detail were a winning combination. From big-ticket donors to the small community contributions she was tireless in her optimism and gratitude for gifts. In periods of immense pressure, she kept smiling. At the end of the initial contract and fundraising challenge, she has given us well-evidenced analysis of what worked well and less well, and a clear set of actions for the future. If you want someone to inspire and take ownership of your campaign, Karen is who you need!”
Work for Southmead Hospital Charity has included:
Conducted a full audit followed by the development of a three year charity strategy, which outlined key recommendations to guide fundraising, marketing, data and operations activity.
Redeveloped job descriptions for the whole charity team to align with the new strategy’s resource requirements.
“Karen led our new strategy as we moved from a “fix” agenda into building and developing the charity. Karen sensitively navigated the complexity of all stakeholders and engaged with teams in a way that made them feel engaged and valued, the end result being a collaborative approach that highlights key deliverables and development needs. This guidance has been instrumental in shaping our journey as the charity continues to improve and grow. I would highly recommend!”
Work for Imagine This has included:
Leading on philanthropy and trusts/foundations fundraising for a large capital appeal and other small/medium sized projects.
Providing guidance to the Board and team on the strategic development of the charity including fundraising, policies, recruitment, marketing/communications and governance.
Leading on the development of a new mission and strategic focus for the charity, including a major rename and rebrand.
Leading on relationships with project partners and prospective project applicants to ensure successful outcomes, collaboration and maximised impact.
“Karen is a much valued and key player in the Imagine This family. This is not just down to her exceptional skills and tenacity at winning meaningful grants but, being a boutique charity, our team tend to get involved in areas beyond just their dedicated roles and this is where Karen really comes into her own. She has the ability to turn her hand to pretty much anything that’s required in charity work. She is nigh on exceptional at what we believe is the most important thing - developing strong and positive relationships with both existing and new donors. We trust Karen implicitly to represent Imagine This at the highest level and we simply would not be where are today without her.”
“Karen has been, and continues to be, an incredibly valuable member of our charity. She is a delight to work with. Karen consistently offers so much more than our initial brief, guiding our small team in so many varied areas with her extensive knowledge of the fundraising sector. Nothing is ever too much trouble and her results speak for themselves. A real asset to The Murray Parish Trust and we would not be where we are without her.”
Work for National Star has included:
Leadership of a capital appeal to build a £6m specialist residence for young people with complex disabilities on the Ullenwood campus.
Critical friend support to the Head of Fundraising.
Work for Penny Brohn UK has included:
Coached the Head of Events & Community Fundraising and the Corporate Fundraiser to support the growth of these income streams.
Devised a strategy for the charity’s 40th anniversary campaign.
Provided strategic advice on the development of virtual fundraising events.
Delivery of social media content to support a specific fundraising campaign.
“I was introduced to Karen following a promotion when the team I was managing had several issues and were underperforming. Karen has taught me a huge range of tools and helped me develop lots of documents and a toolkit to get the most out of my team. Karen has coached me through some really difficult management situations in which I know I would have struggled without her guidance. She is encouraging, patient, energetic and kind. She has empowered me to trust my judgement, stand up for myself, think strategically, be more confident and write a kick-ass 5 year strategy! Karen’s suggestions are never prescriptive: we worked through everything together. My sessions were always really well structured but were also flexible depending on what problems I arrived with. Karen is wise and incredibly passionate without being remotely overbearing. She has been a fantastic mentor; I feel incredibly lucky to have worked with her and would recommend her to anyone looking to develop in their career.”
“I commissioned Karen to provide mentoring support to a recently promoted Head of Department who was struggling with underperformance in her team and not achieving income targets. The results have been superb. The skillset Karen helped her develop have given her the confidence to deal with some very complex issues in a mature and professional way. At a recent strategy planning meeting the member of staff stunned her colleagues with the quality of her presentation which demonstrated a high degree of strategic thinking and financial acumen that she did not possess pervious to Karens support. I would thoroughly recommend Karen. I have been absolutely delighted with the results and consider the value of her intervention to have been an extremely worthwhile investment.”
Work for Hywel Dda Health Charities has included:
Development of a capital appeal strategy to support the creation of a chemotherapy day unit at Bronglais Hospital, Ceredigion.
“Karen worked with us during the early part of 2020 and produced an extremely valuable strategic fundraising report to help us shape our fundraising strategy for a capital fundraising appeal. Karen went the extra mile to ensure that she had a full understanding of our charity and our operations to be able to make appropriate recommendations. Working with Karen allowed us to take valuable time out to discuss and work through key issues that we sometimes shy away from in a busy work environment and her knowledge and experience gave us the confidence in our abilities to deliver.”
Work for SWEDA has included:
Conducted a full audit and developed a strategy to grow/diversify public fundraising income, followed by support with implementation of planned activity.
Critical friend support for the Head of Fundraising and the CEO.
Support with strategic development of the content of the annual report and accounts, including preparing key content.
Redevelopment of the reserves policy to improve compliance.
Strategic advice to develop the regular giving programme (acquisition and stewardship).
Support with the Christmas appeal to develop the individual giving programme.
Development of job descriptions, and advice around staff resourcing to support the strategy.
Development of concepts for Eating Disorder Awareness Week campaigns.
Mentoring support for the Fundraising Manager to support the development of community and corporate fundraising plans.
“It has been a privilege to work alongside Karen, whose expertise in fundraising and strategic communications has been invaluable to our organisation. Her ability to secure vital funding, produce compelling annual reports, and provide strategic insight has strengthened our impact. Karen is highly professional, knowledgeable, and a pleasure to collaborate with. I highly recommend her to any organisation seeking expert fundraising support.”
“It’s been great to have Karen’s expertise and ideas on SWEDA’s funding strategy. Her own track record of success and understanding of the challenges facing a developing charity have made her an invaluable sounding board and partner in thinking through how we put into practice our ambitious plans. Karen has given us confidence in testing new approaches and we look forward to continuing to work with her as SWEDA grows. Plus, and very importantly, she’s a real pleasure to work with.”
Work for Springboard Opportunity Group has included:
Crafted a powerful Case for Support to help trustees and staff become confident in demonstrating impact and specifically increase corporate fundraising success.
“We are so grateful for Karen’s generosity with her time and skills. Firstly she helped us identify what we are already doing well and what we needed – the gaps in our fundraising efforts. Karen was patient as she gathered information from us to write a powerful Case for Support to use primarily to approach local businesses. Thank you Karen for your wonderful help so far and your ongoing support!”
Work for Paignton Picture House has included:
Led the second phase of a major capital appeal to restore and reopen this Grade II* cinema after 25 years of closure - leading on all areas of fundraising, with a particular emphasis on trusts/foundations fundraising and the launch of the public appeal.
New policy development and governance advice.
“Karen was instrumental in the success of the capital project to restore and reopen this magnificent historic cinema. She developed a robust fundraising strategy, before crafting exceptional funding applications which secured several large grants, and later launching a public appeal which harnessed the local passion for this unique building. Her expert guidance supported marketing and communications activity and helped the Board enhance the charity’s governance as it undertook this ambitious project. After more than 25 years, this Grade II* listed historic cinema will now reopen to the community of Torbay and beyond, delivering not just an independent cinema, but also a community and arts venue which is deeply embedded in meeting the needs of local people.”
Work for MS Research, Treatment and Education, now merged with the Multiple Sclerosis Trust, has included:
Conducted a Feasibility Study to assess the potential for income growth as part of a five year organisational strategy.
Recruitment advice to Trustees as they invested in two new fundraising roles.
“This feasibility study has given us a real insight into what may be possible for our charity as we aim to grow, what obstacles are in our way, and what steps we need to take to move forward. It’s been invaluable. The ongoing support with guidance on recruitment has been very helpful and directly influenced our decisions through an objective perspective. The whole Board has valued Karen’s input greatly. Thank you so much.”
Work for Walk the Walk has included:
A review of fundraising and marketing activity/performance, relating to non-event income streams, and provided strategic recommendations to support growth.
Work for Southampton Hospital Charity has included:
Leading the trust fundraising programme for a £5m capital appeal for a new Children's Emergency and Trauma Department.
Developing compelling cases for support for new fundraising campaigns and projects.
“Karen brought clear strategic thinking to our capital campaign, a real appreciation of our challenges, great patience and always solutions. She was someone I knew I could trust and who would always deliver. Her direct and honest approach was a godsend and I will be eternally grateful for her support. She helped us reach the target ahead of schedule and established a strong fundraising programme for the future, leaving a real legacy for the charity. She is a joy to work with and I can’t recommend her highly enough.”
“Karen has been helping us with our trust and foundation fundraising for our current major appeal. Her research is imaginative and thorough and the grant applications she has prepared for us are of the highest quality. She is a strategic thinker as well as being in full command of the detail. I don’t hesitate to recommend her.”
Work for Paul’s Place (South West) has included:
Reviewing high value grant applications and mentoring to support members of staff to enhance their own skills in house and improve the quality of these applications.
Providing practical support with delivering a high value grant application to supplement fundraising resource during a capital appeal.
“I have worked with Karen a number of times over the years across a number of Charities. I have always had a positive experience; Karen has supported us to write and submit applications and also mentored members of our fundraising team. Karen is always my go to person when I need any help or advice with our fundraising, she has such a breadth of knowledge and experience. I am sure we will be working together again and would whole heartedly recommend her.”
“It has been a joy working with Karen. Her support and mentoring have been hugely valuable. Although I have over 20 years of experience in fundraising, I was new to a Trusts & Foundations role, and Karen’s guidance has made a real difference. Her feedback on my applications was detailed, thorough, and always practical, offering insights I could apply immediately. Our meetings were not only productive but also a genuine pleasure. Thanks to her expertise and encouragement, I’ve come away feeling more confident and equipped.”
Work for Swindon Health Hydro has included:
Leadership of the strategic and practical delivery of trusts and foundations fundraising to secure the National Lottery Heritage Fund matched funding element for the main pool hall restoration in the Grade II* Health Hydro.
“Karen was invaluable in the early stages of this £10.9m capital appeal to restore the Main Pool Hall in the Grade II* Health Hydro in Swindon. She conducted an honest, detailed feasibility study and guided us on the strategic activity which would deliver the best return on investment. She was also instrumental in the decision to form a charitable collaborative partnership to strengthen the project’s organisational capacity and fundraising appeal. Karen built our pipeline of grant prospects and delivered a high standard in bid writing for the initial phase of higher value applications. She crafted a strong case for support, which blended the heritage need alongside the complex community needs for the project. This was not only powerful for the content of grant applications, but also integral in the development of a new website, and the creation of a short film which brought the project to life and offered important initial engagement with prospects. We now have a number of large grant applications submitted and some very positive conversations in hand. Her honesty and insight has also added weight to some important conversations. We would not hesitate to recommend Karen.”
Work for Nip in the Bud has included:
Practical support with writing grant applications to enable the charity to scale its work.
“We are grateful for the expertise and energy you have already shared with us, and this testimony is a small reflection of how highly we regard your work and how much we value your expertise - Karen came to us highly recommended by Ken Burnett, and she has more than lived up to that introduction. She combines sharp research, strategic insight, and strong sector connections with an instinctive understanding of our mission and audiences. Karen supported us with a National Lottery bid - just a small part of her wide-ranging skills. We’re grateful for Karen’s energising and insightful contribution and to be able to benefit from her expertise.”
Work for Go Beyond, formerly Chicks, has included:
Coaching and mentoring for the Director of Fundraising to support her professional development and strategic focus to grow income nationally.
Work for the Centre for Sustainable Energy has included:
Evaluation and feedback on a draft corporate fundraising strategy.
Evaluation and feedback on content and design of promotional materials for the Bright Green Futures programme.
Strategic guidance on income generation strategy for funding the Bright Green Futures Programme.
“Karen’s evaluation of our corporate fundraising strategy and marketing materials was SO useful. She worked to our tight timetable and I can already see how valuable her input is going to be as we work to fund our Bright Green Futures programme. She’s an excellent listener and really understood the help we needed. Her advice was based on excellent knowledge and experience, tailored to our needs. I would definitely recommend Karen for specialist corporate fundraising support.”
Work for The Green House has included:
Conducting a full fundraising audit, culminating in a strategic report that prioritises activity to support the growth and diversity of income generation through public fundraising activity.
“Karen helped our charity build its first fundraising strategy, before we employed an in-house Head of Fundraising. Her approach and the report she produced changed the fundraising culture at our charity entirely. It enabled Trustees to understand its importance for the first time, building the structural understanding of why we need fundraising and why we need a relationship-building approach. She conducted lots of interviews to inform the fundraising strategy, and spent time educating the whole team while she developed creative and sensible recommendations. Karen embodied our values throughout and was a pleasure to work with.”
Work for Bang Edutainment has included:
Delivering grant applications for the STACKS financial literacy programme for young people.
“Working with Karen has been a genuine pleasure. Her professionalism, clarity and insight have consistently elevated our proposals and strategic thinking. She brings a rare blend of expertise and creativity that adds real value, and we deeply appreciate the dedication she’s shown. We look forward to reconnecting when future opportunities arise.”
Work for MARLENS/Clevedon Marine Lake has included:
Feasibility study and fundraising/marketing audit.
Development of a fundraising strategy to increase the financial sustainability of this heritage sea pool, feeding into a wider business development plan for the charity.
Supporting the implementation of the fundraising strategy in its early stages.