Values-led, impact-driven, and passionate about enabling social change through philanthropy.
Since 2002, we have been working with not-for-profits, corporates, foundations and individual donors to enable philanthropic impact.
Who We Are
The team is headed by Mary O’ Kennedy who has almost 25 years’ experience of both fundraising for and consulting to, the not-for-profit sector. Mary and her team offer a hands-on, client-centred approach and a wealth of knowledge on fundraising, philanthropy, marketing and communications strategies.
We are also able to draw on the perspective and expertise of our OKC Associates who specialise in various complementary fields, including Digital, Sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
Internationally, we engage with a broad network of civil society consultants through EU Consult, the European Association of Consultants to and about the not-for-profit sector.
What We Do
Integrity, accountability, creativity and innovation are at the core of OKC’s approach, and we will put your needs and your story first in everything that we do:
We are focused on listening: understanding your unique requirements and using our expertise to enable philanthropic impact.
We strive for excellence and embrace change and new learnings to achieve this.
We provide tailored and comprehensive support from initial planning and strategy development to campaign implementation and relationship management.
For not-for-profits, we provide donor prospecting, cultivation, engagement, and stewardship.
The OKC team collectively brings over 50 years of fundraising experience and an extensive knowledge of the Irish philanthropic and corporate environment and a network of connections from across Ireland and beyond. Check out a comprehensive list of our services here.
Who We Work With
OKC works with an extensive portfolio of clients focused on social impact across Education, Arts and Culture, Community Development, Sports, Health, Welfare and Overseas Aid.
Whether you are a charity, a social enterprise, a corporate, a foundation or an individual donor, we will work closely with you to understand your specific requirements and design and implement effective philanthropy solutions that are right for you. See a list of organisations we have worked with here.
Our Approach
At OKC we create and deliver bespoke strategies and supports tailored to your specific needs.
Through detailed engagement and analysis we maximise your organisational effectiveness and deliver long-term sustainable impact whether you are a charity/not-for-profit, corporate, foundation, or individual donor.
Our fees are time-based and work is executed according to Key Performance Indicators and pre-agreed schedules, which are based on the scope of the services to be provided, not the amount of the campaign or fundraising goal.
There is no charge for an initial consultation that can take the form of a face-to-face meeting, video conference or a telephone call. Once an initial meeting has taken place, OKC will draft a proposal for the work, which is also delivered at no cost.
Please note that OKC will not work on the basis of a percentage or commission-based fee. This policy follows the Code of Conduct of EU Consult, of which we are members, and also adheres to best international fundraising practice.
“Irish National Opera secured a place on the Arts Council RAISE programme run by OKC in October 2018. Since then, we have been working with Mary O’Kennedy and Nik Quaife in order to broaden our organisational development and fundraising capacity. Our experience has been wholly positive. We have found sessions with Mary and Nik to be extremely helpful as well as practical. They have provided not only best practice theory but also concrete steps towards building our development structure. Since beginning our work with them, we have designed and launched a Friends & Patrons Scheme and Corporate Partnership collateral. Both Mary and Nik are very easy to work with and have a comprehensive understanding of the development and fundraising landscape in Ireland and internationally.”
— Sarah Freeman, Irish National Opera