About Vantage Fundraising

Welcome to Vantage Fundraising, a consultancy focused on small and medium-sized charities.

WHY SMALL AND MEDIUM, BUT NOT LARGE?

In my experience, these are the charities that need helping the most - they are the organisations that want so desperately to help their beneficiaries, but often just don’t know how, or think they can’t afford to ask for help. Seeing them fall through that gap, led me on a long and thoughtful path that ended in me founding Vantage Fundraising.

NICK RYAN, DIRECTOR

Why choose Vantage
Fundraising?

OUR AIM IS TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE BY HELPING CHARITIES LIKE YOURS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Expertise and Track Record

Our expert team has a wealth of experience in fundraising, finance, marketing, and project management. We have a combined track record of securing tens of millions in non-statutory funds, hundreds of millions in statutory funds, managing successful fundraising strategies, and driving innovation.

Economies of Scale

Large charities benefit from significant economies of scale, spending a smaller proportion of their grant income on fundraising efforts compared to smaller organisations. Our team of fundraisers enables your charity to achieve similar cost efficiencies, reducing the proportion of your income spent on fundraising.

SME Specialism:

Recognising the underserved needs of smaller charities, Vantage Fundraising was created with a focus on helping such entities grow. Our insights and experiences are tailored to the challenges and opportunities unique to the SME charity sector.

Flexible Working Arrangements:

We understand the fluctuating nature of charity finances, and offer the flexibility to slow down or pause work as needed, allowing you to adjust your investment in fundraising according to your cash flow situation.

Choosing Vantage Fundraising means partnering with a team that is deeply committed to and capable of navigating the complexities of fundraising, ensuring your charity not only meets but exceeds its income generation goals.

TESTIMONIAL

‘Vantage Fundraising has shown what is possible with the fundraising strategy they wrote for us. As a result, we are now in the middle of developing and integrating four new fundraising disciplines over the next three years with their help.’

David Botha, Executive Director, The Royal College of Radiologists

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The Vantage Fundraising Team

JOINING YOU ON YOUR FUNDRAISING PATH

The Vantage Fundraising team is made up of a close knit group of friendly experts each bringing deep knowledge and experience of our field. We work together to meet your challenges with innovative solutions, and champion your mission with passion and precision.

We're as committed as an in-house team, without the hassle of having to find us desk space!

DIRECTOR

Nick Ryan

Starting his fundraising career at Help the Aged, and NSPCC, Nick has a wealth of experience in fundraising across various sectors.

He was the founder and CEO of Schools Funding Network, which he ran for six years before setting up Vantage Fundraising.

HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT

Rebecca Mellor

Rebecca's journey from teaching to social media marketing began as her children started school. She quickly established a successful freelance business in organic social media management and consultancy for small, creative enterprises. Her ability to create engaging narratives and her passion for meaningful connections led her to the charity sector.

TRUSTS

Laura Davis

Laura has over 30 years of experience as a project lead and trusts and statutory fundraiser. She has worked with a wide range of voluntary sector and academic-led research and intervention projects, from the drawing board through project delivery, evaluation and donor stewardship. In this time she has secured up to seven-figure grants from a wide range of trust and statutory donors.

TRUSTS

Barbara Ahland

Barbara has a corporate background, with many years’ experience working for one of the Big 4 Accounting firms. Her financial acumen, attention to detail and organisational skills now ensure a steady stream of grants accrue to our clients. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Tax Technicians and is fluent in German.

TRUSTS

Jonathan Catherall

Jonathan has nearly two decades of experience as a funder and as a fundraiser. He has worked for the Wellcome Trust and the Museums Association in partnership with Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. On the fundraising side, he has raised over £20 million for local and national charities in the health, housing, advice, and social enterprise sectors.

TRUSTS & COMPANIES

Nigel Tailyour

Nigel is a leading fundraiser, with a specific interest in trusts, community and volunteering support. After raising funds for a number of charities, including the Samaritans, Nigel set up and ran About Fundraising for many years, merging with Vantage Fundraising in 2016. Nigel has numerous funding contacts and is also an expert in prospect research and database work.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Muhanna Chowdhury

Muhanna has over 20 years of experience in Marketing, Advertising, and Sales, nationally and internationally.

Fearless on the phone, she is warm, enthusiastic, determined and motivated.

HIGH NET WORTH INDIVIDUALS

Veronica Martin, OBE

Veronica has more than 25 years’ experience in fundraising and sales. She has advised and worked for numerous charities including Whizz-Kidz, Elizabeth Finn Care, the Brain and Spine Foundation, Motor Neurone Disease Association and was founding Chair and Trustee of Generating Genius.

LEGACIES

Wendy Pidgeon

Working in Legacy fundraising for nearly 20 years, Wendy has been responsible for legacy marketing at Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, Havens Hospices and most recently, the National Osteoporosis Society, where she grew legacy income by 123% in five years. She holds the Certificate in Charity Legacy Administration (CiCLA).