BTA Consulting - Supporting Charities to Achieve Their Potential

Even well-established charities sometimes need guidance at key moments. BTA provides independent consultancy and practical support across the charity sector, led by former charity leaders who understand the challenges and opportunities organisations face.

With a network of over 70 specialist associates, each with expertise in areas such as governance, leadership, income generation, communications, interim management, HR, and organisational development, we offer tailored support across every aspect of your organisation. Our consultants combine sector insight with hands-on experience, working alongside boards and senior teams to strengthen leadership, improve operations, and help charities achieve lasting impact.

Each year, we work with around 100 charities, providing advice and support that this is grounded in practical experience and informed by a deep understanding of the sector. BTA is recognised as one of Scotland's leading charity consultancy agencies, trusted to provide insight, guidance, and solutions across all areas of charitable work.



For advice or to discuss how we can support your organisation call us on 01786 542224.

Learn more about some of our consultancy services below.

Governance

A skilled and engaged Board of Trustees is essential for a charity to achieve its mission and strategic goals. BTA provides expert guidance to help charities ensure their boards are effective, balanced, and equipped to oversee and guide the organisation’s vision and operations.

Our support includes board recruitment, skills matrix exercises, and governance reviews and audits, helping you identify gaps, strengthen capabilities, and ensure trustees are aligned with your strategic priorities. We can also offer mentoring for new trustees to support their induction and integration into the board.

Drawing on our extensive sector experience and networks, we work with charities to connect them with trustees who bring the right mix of skills, experience, and commitment to make a meaningful contribution to the organisation. 

Income generation

Generating income — and maintaining a variety of funding streams — is crucial for every charity. BTA supports organisations across all aspects of income generation, helping them secure the resources they need to deliver their mission.

Fundraising is a central part of this. Our consultants have extensive experience across all types of fundraising and can help develop effective strategies, detailed costed plans, and compelling cases for support. We also have particular expertise in capital appeals and major donor campaigns.

We provide practical guidance on grant and trust applications, supporting charities that may not have the resources or experience for a sustained programme of applications. Our team has successfully raised hundreds of thousands of pounds and can offer support on both short- and long-term initiatives.

Beyond traditional fundraising, we advise on maximising the use of organisational assets to generate income, including social enterprise, commercialisation, and outsourcing options. These approaches help charities adapt to reduced statutory funding and build sustainable income models that support long-term growth.

Communications

Most charities have a great story to tell, but too many lack a clear plan for sharing it effectively. Without that, opportunities to strengthen your impact, improve fundraising, and build meaningful partnerships can be missed.

BTA has worked with numerous charities to develop tailored communications strategies. We match your organisation’s needs to the right expert consultant — whether that’s digital marketing, donor communications, external messaging, or fully integrated communications and fundraising strategies.

We can support charities with a communications audit, a full communications plan, or a detailed implementation plan, depending on your needs. We review your resources, messages, skills, and existing plans to create a practical blueprint for improving the way your charity communicates — helping you connect more effectively with your supporters, stakeholders, and communities.

Interim Roles

When you need interim support, BTA provides experienced professionals across a wide range of leadership and management positions — from Chief Executives to directors and senior managers.

Our pool of highly experienced interim managers allows charities to access the right skills quickly, ensuring continuity and stability during periods of transition or unexpected gaps.

Our approach is practical and efficient, giving you confidence that the interim professional has the expertise needed to support your organisation immediately.

HR and Organisational Development Support

Even the best teams need strong HR and organisational support to thrive. BTA works with charities to provide expert HR advice and organisational development guidance across the private, public, and third sectors.

Our consultants can help with strategy development, disciplinary processes, one-off advice, interim HR cover, or ongoing retained services. We also support organisational reviews, development initiatives, and wider workforce planning to ensure your charity has the systems, structures, and support in place to operate effectively and sustainably.