EUConsult Information Service
2006 May
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Member Profiles
Theresa Lloyd
Name: THERESA LLOYD
Position: Sole trader
Company: THERESA LLOYD ASSOCIATES
e-mail: theresalloyd(at)btconnect.com
Web: www.theresalloyd.co.uk
FACT FILE | |
Main business areas: Culture, Higher Education and Social Welfare | Date business started: 1995 |
Number of consultancy staff: 1 | Countries of operation: UK |
THE BUSINESS
What range of clients do you serve?
I work with clients ranging from major established national institutions to start-up operations. The scope of my work includes feasibility studies for capital and major development projects, strategic planning and board development. I also offer advice on fundraising strategies with a particular focus on individual donors.
How has your business evolved since it was started?
Having made a deliberate decision to start my business as a sole trader, I have reviewed the position from time to time. Given my stage in life and my desire to be able to pick and chose the clients with which I work, I have decided, most recently last year, to retain my sole trader status. I will continue to work with a network of excellent associates possessing a range of expertise.
Between 2001-2004 I was director of Philanthropy UK, a project set up to encourage individual giving, particularly by the wealthy. This opened a new area of professional expertise and knowledge. Since then part of my work consists of advising would-be donors and donor families on the development of a strategy for their family philanthropy and how to create a family decision-making process for their donations.
Where will your consultancy be in a few years time?
I would hope for a similar exciting mix with possibly even more emphasis than now (currently at least a day a week) on honorary and pro bono activities.
Which opportunities and threats do you see for your work in the sector and for the development of NPOs?
New trends in individual giving, particularly by donors who are self-made entrepreneurs and have made their money in the past few years, will undoubtedly have a major impact on the sector. It is evident that many donors are showing a lot more interest in assessing the impact and effectiveness of their giving. There is more interest in having some kind of deeper involvement than just giving money. Various forms of venture philanthropy, more transparency in terms of charity reporting and more opportunities in the funding mix are set to have an impact. Particularly in the UK, the links between asset management and philanthropic investment will become closer, providing new sources of funding - for example, for social regeneration projects. Opportunities for programme- or mission-related investment, although possibly giving a lower return on capital, would be a way of helping to build self-sustaining communities, recycling funds and thus attracting donors.
Another major trend in Europe is the big debate about the role of the state and whose role it is to pay for public services and “goods” such as the arts and higher education. There is a spectrum here with the UK placed in between mainland Europe and the United States. In mainland Europe many countries are beginning to roll back the role of the state, particularly in respect of culture and higher education, so this will undoubtedly provide new opportunities for private sector involvement, with challenging implications for governance and fundraising.
Linked to these ideas is the possibility of changes in tax incentives for individual giving; in the UK I am involved with a campaign to introduce a mechanism we have called “lifetime legacies”, similar to the US concept of the charity remainder trust.
Can you recommend any sources of information that you find useful in your business:
I subscribe to Professional Fundraising, Arts Professional, Alliance magazine and Third Sector. For all-round briefing I think The Economist is essential regular reading.
There are several on-line newsletters, including philanthropy UK which I started (www.philanthropyuk.org) and various US-based ones such as the Foundation Center: (artswatch@FOUNDATIONCENTER.ORG)
The guides on specific sectors and the newsletters from New Philanthropy Capital are very helpful. www.philanthropycapital.org
Ken Burnett’s books on fundraising and board development are very good. I also refer to my own publications, Why Rich People Give and the Guide to Giving; details are available on www.theresalloyd.co.uk.
EUCONSULT MEMBERSHIP
Why did you join EUConsult?
I wanted to explore the networking possibilities.
With which other EUConsult members have you found the opportunity to cooperate on projects?
Although the occasion to collaborate has not yet arisen, I have been able to pass on two project opportunities to two different members.
BACKGROUND INFO
Where and what did you study?
I studied Politics and Economics at Oxford, and then Business Studies at Bath. I also did a Diploma in Corporate Finance at the London Business School.
How did you first get involved in NPO consultancy?
I made a deliberate decision in 1994 to take a year out to do a History of Art Diploma. During that period I considered my options and, not least to spend more time at home, decided to set up my own consultancy. Prior to that, I had spent nearly 10 years in international development, working with Save the Children and ActionAid, and before that several years in international banking, all involving significant travel.
What interests you most about staying in the field?
I love working in the sector mainly because of the excitement and fulfilment of helping organisations about which one I care very much to flourish.
What do you do to relax and forget your consultancy work? I’m passionate about opera, classical music and theatre. I enjoy going to our cottage in the country, which is wonderful for walking and reading. Travel. Cooking for friends; it’s fun and therapeutic.
