Charity that supports fathers and families (Victoria)
Diagnostic / Organisational Needs
This is a small growing charity with a strong mission to support fathers and families. The organisation’s fundraising and philanthropic strategy had not yet been formalised, and its capacity to prioritise and secure funding opportunities was limited. Key challenges included identifying high-value funding opportunities, efficiently managing applications, and building the internal capability to engage donors and funders confidently. Strengthening strategic planning, grant application processes, and philanthropic engagement was critical to ensure they could secure sustainable funding for growth and program impact.
Benefolk Solution
Benefolk paired their CEO with a specialist team experienced in start-up charities and philanthropic strategy. This included:
A philanthropy strategist and coach to define a 6-month Fundraising Action Plan and provide intensive coaching support.
A grant-writing specialist to review programs and support the preparation of high-impact applications.
Strategic advisory consultations via Expert Bar with specialists in strategic planning, government relations and impact measurement.
The engagement provided structured processes, tools, and guidance to prioritise funding opportunities, streamline decision-making, and embed fundraising capability in the organisation.
Key outcomes & organisational shift
- A clear 6-month Fundraising Action Plan tailored to organisational priorities, resources, and capacity.
- Coaching support enabled the CEO and leadership team to engage confidently with funders, develop high-quality applications, and make strategic funding decisions.
- A bespoke content library to draft future applications quickly and consistently, reducing reliance on ad hoc preparation.
- Successful securing of competitive grants and a Fellowship, demonstrating the immediate impact of strengthened fundraising skills and strategic focus.
- Staff gained practical experience and tools that strengthened internal processes and increased organisational confidence in pursuing strategic funding opportunities.
Key measures
- Improved confidence: Much more confident
- Improved knowlege and skills: Strongly agree
- Improved wellbeing: Agree
Emerging signs of progress (towards long term outcomes)
- They are increasingly using structured frameworks to assess and prioritise funding opportunities, indicating the organisation is building the long-term operational capacity to make strategic, high-impact decisions.
- The leadership team is demonstrating growing confidence and autonomy in engaging funders, showing the workforce is developing the capability to sustain a culture of philanthropy over time.
- Early success in competitive grant wins and fellowship attainment reflects the organisation’s ability to translate strategic focus into sustainable funding potential, which is foundational for long-term financial resilience.
