Coconut Octopus

A different kind of partner for charities

Leading a charity has rarely felt more demanding.  Budgets are tight, scrutiny is high, and the unexpected can arrive at any moment: a key resignation, a funding cliff edge, a safeguarding concern, a social media allegation.  When the going gets tough and you need extra help – we’re here for you.  For the big things and the small.  We’re experts in charities, and we’re experts in our own fields.  Every one of our handpicked team has held senior leadership roles in the sector, so whatever your challenge, we’ll be able to help.

Our approach is simple: we work alongside you as a partner, understanding your culture, environment and vision, and helping you overcome challenges to achieve your goals. 

We’re here when you need us – it might be a specific project: shaping your future direction, a merger, or closing; a restructure, strategy review, dealing with HR issues, or a rethink of income generation.  It might be flexible support, with our team working alongside yours, as and when you need us.  It might be an Interim leader, coaching or ad hoc capacity that you’re after.  Or it might be just a 15-minute call to get feedback on an idea or input on a document. We’re also here to help you deal with a crisis if one hits, and we’re here to help you prevent it in the first place.

Whatever you need, you’ll work with the same trusted people throughout, so you never have to explain your organisation twice.

Our focus this year: Crisis Prevention & Support, and Experts on Tap

Crisis Prevention & Support

Are you confident that your charity is ready for that unknown crisis around the corner?  How would your team deal with a complex situation at speed, suddenly in the public spotlight?   Before you get there, can you spot warning signs early on, and is everyone across the team able to act on red flags in an effective way?

We run bespoke workshops for charities to run senior teams through potential crisis situations, putting the specialists in the room with you to help develop a response.  These are fast-paced, engaging sessions that can help you identify real gaps, learning and development needs.

If something does go wrong, the way charity leadership teams react is critical.  We support CEOs, trustee boards and senior leadership teams with calm, experienced help straight away.  We can work alongside you to help inform your approach to decision making and roles, crisis communications, governance and Charity Commission considerations, providing interim leadership cover, and dealing with the people issues.  Working with our Crisis Framework enables you to have confidence in your approach, and rebuild trust with staff, funders and beneficiaries.

Experts on Tap

We know how stretched your resources and capacity are – meaning you have to be the ‘expert’ in too many areas and lead teams where you may not have the relevant experience in that topic.  You don’t have the budget (or need) for a separate role, but you could really do with knowing more.  

You may just need to talk to someone who really knows the subject, or perhaps add a specialist brain to an internal meeting to help your team develop their thinking and make informed decisions.  Experts on Tap gives you flexible, ad hoc access to senior specialists in HR, fundraising and income generation, governance, communications, marketing, organisational development, project management, operations and more.  

If you want a document reviewed, quick feedback on a strategy, help with creating a project plan, or to understand your possible options to deal with a challenge, we can help.  You pay only for the time we spend working directly with you, so expert advice is affordable and not an ongoing financial commitment.

How we can help

Sustainability

• Strategy and organisational reviews and development,
• Risk management, troubleshooting, business modelling and income generation
• Transformations and change management
• Mergers, partnerships, good closures & options

Boards and leadership

• Governance and compliance 
• Leadership development, coaching and mentoring 
• Board support, reviews and development
• Complex & urgent support, Executive Assistant support

Crisis prevention and support

• Crisis prevention workshops
• Board, CEO and SLT support, interim leadership capacity
• Troubleshooting, internal investigations
• Communications and stakeholder relationships

Experts on tap

• Light touch input or long-term support
• Senior leadership support and advice
• Functional mentoring and team development
• Specialist knowledge whenever it’s needed

Capacity

• Interims, specialist and functional support
• Experts on Tap – ad hoc support
• Project and change management
• Organisational reviews, restructures

Capability

• Leadership and management development, teambuilding
• Coaching and mentoring
• HR processes and investigations
• Organisational culture and effectiveness

Impact delivery

• Quality assurance, monitoring and evaluating 
• Service reviews and designs, stakeholder engagement 
• Knowledge management 
• Systems, policies, processes and efficiencies 

The charity leadership network

• Free membership
• Regular newsletter with insights, profiles and ideas
• Free development opportunities
• Leadership discussions

Insights

• A charity crisis: how scandals impact us all
• Spotting the warning signs: why charity leaders must act on red flags, not just record them
• Charity leaders: building resilient organisations and teams starts with you
• Circles of influence in charity fundraising: finding focus in the chaos
• How reframing helps charity leaders build sustainable organisations