OUT OF THE ASHES CONSULTANCY

Our Story: Turning Ashes into Action

The pandemic didn't just challenge the third sector, it redefined it. Out of the Ashes was founded in that moment, in July 2020, with a clear purpose to help charities and social enterprises move beyond survival and build sustainable income.

I started the company after watching organisations doing vital work struggle with funding insecurity they didn't have the capacity to address. Six years on, the pressures have shifted but not eased. Statutory funding continues to contract, competition for trust and foundation grants has intensified, and many funders are moving toward fewer, larger, multi-year commitments that reward strong cases for support and solid evidence of impact. Cost pressures are squeezing both the organisations we serve and the people they exist to help. Our work is about helping clients respond to that landscape with clarity rather than panic.

A team, not a bottleneck

Out of the Ashes is a team, not a one-person operation. I lead the consultancy and take a hands-on role in strategy and the more complex bids, but the day-to-day work is delivered by a network of experienced fundraising consultants and associates who work with us on a project and retained basis. That structure means we can match the right specialist to each client, whether that's bid writing, prospect research, case for support development, or impact measurement - and scale up or down around your needs without dropping quality. It also means you're never waiting on a single person's diary. Clients get the benefit of senior oversight alongside the capacity of a wider team.

Expertise that delivers results

We built our reputation on strategic fundraising narratives and expert bid writing, and that remains our core. To date the team has helped raise over £1.5 million for charitable causes, funding that has kept frontline services running and allowed our clients to plan with more confidence.

My own background includes an MSc in Conservation, a Professional Certificate in Charity and Social Enterprise Management, and Certified AGILE Project Management Practitioner status. Most recently, I completed the highest level of qualification one can complete with the Institute of Fundraising, The International Advanced Diploma in Fundraising. 

Working With Us

We see ourselves as a partner rather than a supplier - someone who understands the realities of running an under-resourced organisation and works alongside you accordingly. If you'd like to talk through where your fundraising is now and where it could go, book a free 30-minute consultation with me.

Kristina Stazaker

Founder and Fundraising Director