fundraising operations and strategy specialists

Alex has 15 years of senior fundraising operations experience in his 25 years working with non-profit organisations. Alex is an expert in campaign planning, process design, organisational design and team management, information management and reporting.

As a consultant, Alex has helped the University of Oxford, Warwick University, University College School, Manchester NHS Foundation Trust Charity, National Museums Scotland, Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, the Royal Northern College of Music and many others.  Alex is also the Chair of the Board of Trustees of Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity.

Paul has worked in system development, business operations and data analysis for the past 20 years.  He helped to develop the data and prospect management systems that underpinned the University of Edinburgh’s campaign and has continued to develop and promote an evidence-based approach to fundraising and engagement activities.

Since becoming a consultant, Paul has had the privilege of working with a range of clients in higher education, the arts and health including Imperial College London, University of Glasgow, Cancer Research UK, Anti-Slavery International and Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

Katie has more than 10 years experience in CRM and database management and is an expert in gift processing and philanthropic income, direct debits, financial reconciliation and data integrations. 

Katie is experienced in database reporting and analysis and has worked on several large reporting projects for education and charitable organisations.

Katie's client work includes Rugby School, University College School, Corpus Christi College Oxford, Magdalen College Oxford and Manchester NHS Foundation Trust Charity.

With over 25 years of experience in fundraising and business development, James is a specialist in capital and revenue fundraising, strategic business development and capacity and resilience building. He has helped deliver over £400 million of capital projects across the UK in the cultural, heritage and higher education sectors. He brings an incredible strategic appreciation and vision to those he works with to support their mission and ensure they meet their goals.

James works with charities to ensure that they acknowledge, embrace and overcome challenges. His previous projects include Wales Millennium Centre, National Botanic Gardens of Wales, National Museums Scotland, the University of Edinburgh and Arts & Business Cymru, where he worked with over 150 independent charities.

Alex brings a blend of expertise, being both skilled in database and information management within the higher education sector, alongside successful fundraising in arts and cultural organisations. With a background from Hope Mill Theatre, The Royal Northern College of Music, Hofesh Shechter and Somerset House, Alex has an in-depth understanding of a variety of CRM systems, including Blackbaud’s Raisers Edge/NXT, Spektrix, Tessitura, and Seat Geek’s SRO.

Having an understanding of hands-on fundraising as well as data management, Alex has not only crafted efficient systems but is enthusiastic in building processes that work for both fundraisers and operational teams. With a proven track record of delivering and designing mid to large scale campaigns and appeals, Alex is passionate about the power of well-managed data and information and its impact to predict trends within regular and public giving.

Toby is a freelance prospect researcher who set up his consulting business PROSInt Solutions in 2023 after working in the Advancement Team at the University of Leeds for 13 years. There, he led the Prospect Research Team through the second phase of the University’s successful £100m Making a World of Difference campaign and beyond as the team underwent significant expansion. 

Since going freelance, Toby has worked for a wide range of clients across the charity and education spaces on assignments spanning the full range of prospect development work, including interim team leadership, training and due diligence.

Prior to entering the world of fundraising in 2010, Toby spent 10 years working in the pre-employment screening division of leading international business consultancy Control Risks where he was a member of the EMEA management team responsible for a 200-person operation. During this time, he performed due diligence for clients in the financial services sector and established a new business unit to screen the suppliers of a major international bank. Toby has 25 years’ experience of researching people, companies and foundations.

Li is a CIMA-qualified accountant with over 20 years of experience, specialising in charity accounting and financial management, particularly within the charity and higher education sectors. In addition to her CIMA qualification, she holds a professional qualification in Legacy Administration, which provides her with expertise in managing charitable endowments, legacies and tax-efficient giving. Li has extensive experience ensuring compliance with charity laws and accounting standards, developing robust financial processes and delivering key financial reports to support strategic decision-making.

She has worked with prestigious institutions such as the University of Edinburgh, the University of Nottingham and the University of Warwick, where she transformed financial operations and managed large-scale philanthropic projects. Driven by a passion for philanthropy and financial excellence, Li brings a wealth of expertise to every project, ensuring sound financial management and fostering sustainable growth for charitable organisations.

Sanne has over 18 years of experience in fundraising in the higher education and cultural sectors. She brings a wealth of expertise in creating compelling high-value proposals for trusts and foundations, and in stewarding complex international relationships.

At the University of Edinburgh she was instrumental to the creation of the Edinburgh Ocean Leaders Programme, and delivered significant investment in research facilities and a wide range of student scholarship opportunities.

As a consultant, Sanne has worked with Edinburgh Science, Dunedin Consort and the University of Bath.