Who we are

DIRECTOR

Nicole is a senior fundraiser with over 25 years of experience raising significant income for major arts organisations. She provides fundraising strategy, planning and governance support, and offers advice and training for CEOs and Trustees. She specialises in corporate partnerships and cultural placemaking and public/private regeneration projects, as well as major giving and capital campaigns. She also covers interim Development Director roles.

Prior to establishing her consultancy, Nicole was Development Director at English National Ballet, English National Opera, and Somerset House Trust where she secured six and seven figure gifts for revenue and capital projects. As corporate fundraiser at the V&A, and at Tate, Nicole introduced several innovative commercial partnerships with finance, technology, and consumer brands.

Nicole is based in London but regularly teaches and lectures internationally and nationally. She is a Trustee of Punchdrunk Enrichment, Akram Khan Dance Company, and design education charity, Climate Change All Change.

SENIOR ASSOCIATE

Leo Crane specialises in fundraising story-telling and Case for Support writing.  His 25-year career has taken him from national art institutions to community organisations and those at the cutting edge of digital innovation. As a consultant, his work has ranged from shaping multi-million-pound capital campaigns to establishing fundraising infrastructure from scratch on limited resources. Clients have included Royal College of Music, British Library, Alexandra Palace, Highgate Cemetery, Forward Arts Foundation, Arts Marketing Association, Lakeland Arts, Outcry Ensemble, Akram Khan Company, Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Royal Academy of Arts.

His consultancy work builds on 15 years’ experience in house, where he held senior fundraising roles at the V&A, Royal Institute of British Architects and Dulwich Picture Gallery. Specialising in individual giving, he built long-term relationships with philanthropists, established Patrons and American Friends programmes and raised over £150m for capital campaigns.

Alongside fundraising, Leo is a faculty member at Sotheby’s Institute of Art, where he lectures on art business and emerging technology, and serves on the board of Animate Projects.

ASSOCIATE

Philippa is a specialist in grant bid writing, membership and patron schemes. She spent 16 years as Head of Friends and Patrons at the V&A Museum, developing their membership, legacy, and annual appeals programmes, increasing membership to over 64,000 from 18,000 and income by over 800%. Since 2016 Philippa has worked as a freelance consultant, focusing on Trusts and Foundation fundraising, membership strategy and implementation. Clients include Epping Forest Heritage Trust, Compton Verney Art Gallery and Park, the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, Citizens Advice, Leicester City of Sanctuary and Leicester Cathedral. Philippa is also an experienced charity trustee.