Building essential evidence for funding an important environmental project

Background
The Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) is a world-renowned environmental charity, founded in 1973, pioneering sustainable technologies, supporting eco startups and providing environmental education to post-graduates, schools, community groups and members of the public from its centre in Powys, Mid Wales.

For some years the site and much of CAT’s infrastructure has been showing wear and tear, impacting on its revenue streams. Plans had been drawn up for a new project not only to repair but regenerate and expand the visitor centre, accommodation, learning spaces and site. The project was named Cynefin – a Welsh word that loosely translates as ‘habitat’. It had received the boost of a significant funding pledge from the Mid Wales Growth Deal (MWGD), covering half the forecast cost. CAT asked Action Planning to provide background support for a capital appeal to raise the other half.

Brief
We were commissioned to produce a capital appeal strategy and case for support for the Cynefin project.

Process
We put together a team of Action Planning associate consultants comprising David Saint, Kathryn Kendall and Rachel Beer. David led the project, beginning with a visit to CAT and meetings with Eileen Kinsman (Co-CEO), Nick Ashbee (Head of Strategic Fundraising and Programmes), John Challen (Head of Centre) and Rob Bullen (Co-Head of Marketing & Comms).

Following this David had video calls with Rhiannon Turner (Trustee, and Chair of Steering Group), Ian Davies (CAT’s supporter programme) and Freya Randall (Major Donors programme). He also reviewed a range of documents, including the Outline Business Case, a 2022 Fundraising Feasibility Study, project budgets and timelines, CAT’s draft Theory of Change and the ‘Lessons Learned’ document from CAT’s previous capital appeal in the early 2000s.

Meanwhile, Kathryn carried out research into funding sources to update and expand on the 2022 Feasibility Study report and Rachel worked with David to prepare a draft Case for Support. A wealth screening exercise was carried out on CAT’s database and the results fed into David’s strategy report, which he delivered in February 2025.

Outcome
One of the reasons for the capital appeal strategy was to provide evidence to funders that the full amount could be raised to pay for Cynefin, thereby giving them the confidence to donate. The report provided this evidence in thorough detail, meaning CAT can pitch for funding with the incentive of MWGD doubling every donation.

“The report is really useful in terms of making the case for funding but also helping other stakeholders, internal and external, to understand the situation,” said Eileen Kinsman. “We’ve shared it to the funders but we’ll be sharing it internally more than we have. It’s going to become part of our strategic planning.

“It was really good to have an external consultant to deliver this,” she added, “as it gave it added authority when presented to the Board. That objective eye was really helpful for the case for support as well. Rachel went above and beyond on that.”

Consultant’s insight
When large amounts of money are involved, people inevitably get nervous. And when you are responsible for giving away public money, you want to make sure every i is dotted and t crossed. So it is understandable that the good people at MWGD wanted maximum ‘comfort’ that CAT would be successful in raising the balancing half of the funds. But, of course, there are no guarantees in fundraising and, although CAT has excellent connections and great prospects, our report was as much about ‘expectation management’ as fundraising strategy.

Our aim was partly to give the CAT team the confidence that they really did know what they were doing (which they did!) but also to give MWGD and other funders the confidence to actually commit their funding. Otherwise there was a danger of brinkmanship, with every funder waiting for every other funder, leading to stalemate. We very much hope that these aims were achieved and that the team will now be able to press ahead with the project.