Understand your challenges
We see ourselves as your partners, working closely with charity and school leaders to understand your challenges and provide tailored support according to your needs.
UK-based international fundraising consultancy
Inspiring, Building, Transforming Charities and Schools
We are a UK-based international fundraising consultancy that provides specialised services for schools, charities and nonprofits to help strengthen their fundraising strategies to expand their reach, impact and teams.
StrategyConsultancy
Coaching
Our approach
Strategic thinking combined with practical delivery.
Our perspective
We bring deep expertise in philanthropy, fundraising strategy and diversification of income streams, amplifying your narrative to connect with funders, donors and advocates. We see ourselves as your partners, working closely with charity and school leaders to understand your challenges, providing tailored support according to your needs.
25+ years of experience
UK-based, international perspective
Charities, schools and nonprofits
We work with your teams to build their knowledge and skillsets to amplify your impact in the community beyond our partnership. We work with schools and charities to build meaningful partnerships and secure the resources they need to thrive.
Our aim is simple.
To help good organisations grow their income, strengthen their voice and increase their impact through forward-thinking teams.
About Shirfield Consulting
A trusted partner for organisations with a social purpose.
Shirfield Consulting was established in 2025 to help organisations with a social purpose strengthen their income, strategy and impact.
We act as a trusted partner - bringing strategic thinking, practical sector-led experience and an outside perspective to help organisations build a clear and compelling narrative, develop their income strategy and turn ideas into action.
We work closely with CEOs, Head, Governors and Trustees, helping them understand what makes their organisation distinctive, communicate their value with confidence and create strategies and teams that support sustainable growth.
We support charities to develop their teams, whether through helping attract and appoint the best candidates, working in partnership with third sector recruitment agency partners, to creating job descriptions and defining the ideal candidate profile, we provide hands-on support at every stage. Our aim is to ensure charities and schools have the right people, with the right skills and experience, to achieve their fundraising ambitions.
Our approach is collaborative, practical and rooted in the realities of busy organisations. We don't believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. Instead, we work alongside you to understand where you are, where you want to go and what will make the biggest difference.
At Shirfield Consulting, our ethos is rooted in helping others to achieve more. We believe that organisations making a positive difference should have access to the strategic support they need to thrive - regardless of the size of their team.
If you are looking to grow your fundraising or team, develop your strategy or talent, we would love to hear from you.
Services
Strategy & Feasibility Studies
For a charity, a strong strategy ensures that all resources - time, finances and staff - are directed toward maximizing impact and ensuring organisational sustainability. When a charity has a clear strategy, it is easier to convey purpose and value to potential donors and funders. Donors are often more likely to support organisations with well-structured, achievable plans, a compelling case for support, which makes your strategy essential for long-term financial sustainability.
We work with organisations to develop sustainable fundraising strategies that support both immediate priorities and long-term ambitions. Whether you are looking to review and strengthen an existing approach or develop a strategy from the ground up, we bring clarity, structure and practical expertise to the process.
Sometimes, the first step in this journey is a feasibility study - an objective, external assessment to scope and test your fundraising goals. As part of this study, we undertake these key areas:
Sector benchmarking
Donor pipeline development
Donor capacity assessment
Case for support feedback and refinement
Organisational readiness review
Clear recommendations on the fundraising strategy and steps needed to achieve goals
Services
Consultancy
Drawing on over 25 years of experience leading, advising and training fundraising, advancement, development and alumni relations teams across the UK, Australia, USA, Canada and Asia, Shirfield Consulting provides expert strategic guidance to strengthen philanthropy, grow sustainable income and maximise organisational value and impact.
Major Donors
- Building a new Major Donor Programme
- Major Donor Strategy Development
- Prospect Research
- Case for Support Creation
- Cultivation Planning
- Solicitation Support
- Stewardship Planning
- Pipeline Development
- Internal Capacity Building
- Donor Events and Engagement Opportunities
- Insight and Analytics
Prospect Research
- Prospect Identification and Qualification
- Wealth and Philanthropic Profiling
- Data Analysis and Segmentation
- Donor Pipeline Development
- Due Diligence and Risk Assessment
- Portfolio Reviews and Strategy Support
- Benchmarking and Sector Scanning
Fundraising Policies, Processes and Procedures
- Fundraising Policy development
- Donor Data Management Procedures
- Gift Acceptance and Management Protocols
- Compliance and Ethical Standards
Building the Right Team
- Determining and defining the right role
- Job Description development
- Candidate profiling
- Interview preparation and support
- Appointment Support
Consultancy
Expert strategic guidance to strengthen philanthropy, grow sustainable income and maximise organisational value and impact.
Services
Coaching for Trustees, Senior Leaders, School Governors, Heads and Bursars
These sessions equip senior leaders within schools and charities with the clarity, confidence and strategic insight to lead high-performing fundraising and development teams, building the relationships needed to secure transformational philanthropic income.
Sessions are designed to reflect on challenges, unlock new opportunities and hone leadership in key areas including:
Leading and motivating fundraising and development teams
Building strong relationships with trustees, donors and funders
Developing and communicating compelling cases for support
Navigating internal dynamics and organisational change
Strengthening skills in making the ask and stewarding major donors
How we work
Collaborative, practical and rooted in the realities of busy organisations.
We don't believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. Instead, we work alongside you to understand where you are, where you want to go and what will make the biggest difference.
Shape the right direction
We work alongside you to understand where you are, where you want to go and what will make the biggest difference.
Build lasting capability
We work with your teams to build their knowledge and skillsets to amplify your impact in the community beyond our partnership.
Clients & Partners
Working alongside organisations and sector specialists.
Shirfield Consulting works directly with purpose-led organisations and collaborates with trusted specialist partners where this adds value.
LMSClient
MayfieldClient
Fundraising ConsultantsClient
Fern TalentPartner
Longhouse HQPartner
Frequently asked questions
A few useful starting points.
Every organisation is different, so the best way to understand fit is usually a conversation about your current priorities.
Who does Shirfield Consulting work with?
We work with charities, schools and nonprofits, including CEOs, heads, governors, trustees and senior leaders who want to strengthen fundraising, income strategy, teams and organisational impact.
What can a fundraising feasibility study include?
A feasibility study can include sector benchmarking, donor pipeline development, donor capacity assessment, case for support feedback, organisational readiness review and clear recommendations on fundraising strategy and next steps.
Can you help us build or strengthen a major donor programme?
Yes. Support can include major donor strategy, prospect research, case for support creation, cultivation planning, solicitation support, stewardship planning, pipeline development, donor engagement, insight and internal capacity building.
Can Shirfield Consulting support international fundraising?
Yes. Shirfield Consulting is UK-based and brings experience across the UK, Australia, USA, Canada and Asia, supporting organisations that need an international perspective on philanthropy and fundraising.
Contact
Start with a conversation.
If you are looking to grow your fundraising or team, develop your strategy or talent, we would love to hear from you.
Based in
Henfield, West Sussex, United Kingdom
Reach
UK-based, working internationally
LinkedIn
Connect with Amba Shirfield