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EventsFree ESG Assessment Tool
Free ESG Assessment ToolAre you think about merging a charity or seeking out new charity partnership opportunities?
As leading experts in the area of charity and not-for-profit mergers and partnerships, we can help you explore how partnerships and mergers can enhance your services and transform your organisation.
Our service has enabled many mergers and partnerships to be established including the successful completion of 36 charity mergers, which has protected £138,826,000 of charitable services. In addition, our team of charity merger experts has supported 97 charities to complete a successful merger.
With over 20 years of experience and expertise in assessing, analysing and helping charities through the process of merging a charity, we are here to support you at each stage of the partnership and merger process by:
Eastside People is made up of a small core team who will match you with very experienced charity merger consultants or interims from our community of professionals. We will then work together as an extended and trusted part of your team helping bring your plans to reality.
Please contact us if you would like to know more about the options for merging a charity or finding new partners.
A confidential discussion can be arranged at your earliest convenience, either remotely or face to face.
With a wealth of experience and expertise working with charities and not-for-profits, we are here to support you at each stage of the partnership and merger process.
Cara Evans, Head of Partnerships and Mergers
Alongside our merger consultancy services, we also host a series of free round tables for charity leaders, exploring the leadership challenges of delivering a merger or partnership. These are closed events, conducted under Chatham House rules, which we limit to around 20 chief executives, senior managers and trustees per session.
As development sessions, the round tables offer the chance to learn from peers and to discuss both the challenges and opportunities partnerships and mergers can present. As leading experts in the sector, we will also share our unique experiences of the marketplace with you. If you are interested in attending a free round table, please Register your Details.
Before engaging with potential partners, it is important to ensure that all relevant internal stakeholders (board members and senior leaders) understand the processes behind forming a strategic partnership or merger; what the potential risks and benefits are; and how best to engage with prospective partners.
In these half-day workshops, we are able to ensure common understanding and draw out and debate stakeholders’ views of the benefits and challenges of different scenarios, as well as surfacing any ‘red lines’.
Please contact us if you are interested in holding a Partnership and Merger Workshop for your organisation.
Finding the right partner for a strategic partnership or merger means ensuring all suitable organisations have been identified, researched, and considered. With over 10 years’ experience of delivering professional search and approach projects, we will co-produce with you a clear brief and a prospectus to share with potential partners.
We will research using our extensive contacts and networks, as well as conducting external desk-top studies. We will then help you to evaluate the opportunities against your initial brief, creating detailed profiles of short-listed candidates; and support you by facilitating approaches to and meetings with potential partners.
Please contact us if you are interested in a discussion about finding new partners.
Once boards have decided to explore a strategic partnership or merger, they need to consider the financial and non-financial case in more detail. Our independent feasibilities explore 14 crucial areas of enquiry, so that boards have the right information to make an informed decision around whether to proceed or not.
In advance of a final decision to proceed, we offer a formal due diligence service for each organisation to highlight any key governance, financial or management risks and to offer independent confirmation to boards that each organisation’s situation is as it has been described during feasibility.
Please contact us if you are interested in understanding more about feasibility and due diligence.
We dovetail our experience of project management and implementation with that of your team to develop a detailed delivery plan which covers critical issues such as: governance, risk, integration, Culture, Workforce & HR, communications, regulatory compliance, charity strategy and business planning.
Our support continues for as long as you need it and in the form that best suits you recognising the partnership ‘go live’ date is not the end of the journey, but the beginning.
Please contact us if you would like to know more about partnership and merger implementation.
Charity Good Merger Index Report 2022-23
Charity Good Merger Index Report 2022-23
Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care: Charity Merger Support Case Study
→ Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care: Charity Merger Support Case StudyNurtrio: Charity Merger Implementation Support Case Study
→ Nurtrio: Charity Merger Implementation Support Case StudyKeech Hospice Care & Bedford Daycare Hospice – Charity Merger
→ Keech Hospice Care & Bedford Daycare Hospice – Charity MergerRennie Grove Peace Hospice Care: Charity Merger Support Case Study
→ Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care: Charity Merger Support Case StudyNurtrio: Charity Merger Implementation Support Case Study
→ Nurtrio: Charity Merger Implementation Support Case StudyKeech Hospice Care & Bedford Daycare Hospice – Charity Merger
→ Keech Hospice Care & Bedford Daycare Hospice – Charity MergerRennie Grove Peace Hospice Care: Charity Merger Support Case Study
→ Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care: Charity Merger Support Case StudyNurtrio: Charity Merger Implementation Support Case Study
→ Nurtrio: Charity Merger Implementation Support Case StudyAbout Eastside People Charity Consultancy & Recruitment
→ About Eastside People Charity Consultancy & RecruitmentMerger Round Table: Types of charity mergers & their benefits
→ Merger Round Table: Types of charity mergers & their benefitsCharity Merger Advice: Is merger an option for your charity?
→ Charity Merger Advice: Is merger an option for your charity?Merging a Charity – Top Tips from Charity Leaders
→ Merging a Charity – Top Tips from Charity LeadersFederated Charity Merger Advice 1 of 5: Drivers for merger
→ Federated Charity Merger Advice 1 of 5: Drivers for mergerFederated Charity Merger Advice 2 of 5: Overcoming barriers to success
→ Federated Charity Merger Advice 2 of 5: Overcoming barriers to successFederated Charity Merger Advice 3 of 5: federated charities 7 national charities
→ Federated Charity Merger Advice 3 of 5: federated charities 7 national charitiesFederated Charity Merger Advice 4 of 5: Recommendations
→ Federated Charity Merger Advice 4 of 5: RecommendationsFederated Charity Merger Advice 5 of 5: Recommendations
→ Federated Charity Merger Advice 5 of 5: RecommendationsCharity Merger Research (The Latest Good Merger Index)
→ Charity Merger Research (The Latest Good Merger Index)Delighted to support the merger of Keech Hospice Care and Bedford Daycare Hospice
→ Delighted to support the merger of Keech Hospice Care and Bedford Daycare HospiceRecord low numbers of charity mergers – Good Merger Index 22-23
→ Record low numbers of charity mergers – Good Merger Index 22-231st 6 months at charity consultancy Eastside People – Cara Evans
→ 1st 6 months at charity consultancy Eastside People – Cara EvansMerger and Partnership Round Table for Charity Leaders – Top Discussion points
→ Merger and Partnership Round Table for Charity Leaders – Top Discussion pointsCivil Society: In-depth: Where are all the charity mergers?
→ Civil Society: In-depth: Where are all the charity mergers?About Eastside People Charity Consultancy & Recruitment
→ About Eastside People Charity Consultancy & RecruitmentMerger Round Table: Types of charity mergers & their benefits
→ Merger Round Table: Types of charity mergers & their benefitsCharity Merger Advice: Is merger an option for your charity?
→ Charity Merger Advice: Is merger an option for your charity?Merging a Charity – Top Tips from Charity Leaders
→ Merging a Charity – Top Tips from Charity LeadersFederated Charity Merger Advice 1 of 5: Drivers for merger
→ Federated Charity Merger Advice 1 of 5: Drivers for mergerFederated Charity Merger Advice 2 of 5: Overcoming barriers to success
→ Federated Charity Merger Advice 2 of 5: Overcoming barriers to successFederated Charity Merger Advice 3 of 5: federated charities 7 national charities
→ Federated Charity Merger Advice 3 of 5: federated charities 7 national charitiesFederated Charity Merger Advice 4 of 5: Recommendations
→ Federated Charity Merger Advice 4 of 5: RecommendationsFederated Charity Merger Advice 5 of 5: Recommendations
→ Federated Charity Merger Advice 5 of 5: RecommendationsCharity Merger Research (The Latest Good Merger Index)
→ Charity Merger Research (The Latest Good Merger Index)Delighted to support the merger of Keech Hospice Care and Bedford Daycare Hospice
→ Delighted to support the merger of Keech Hospice Care and Bedford Daycare HospiceRecord low numbers of charity mergers – Good Merger Index 22-23
→ Record low numbers of charity mergers – Good Merger Index 22-231st 6 months at charity consultancy Eastside People – Cara Evans
→ 1st 6 months at charity consultancy Eastside People – Cara EvansMerger and Partnership Round Table for Charity Leaders – Top Discussion points
→ Merger and Partnership Round Table for Charity Leaders – Top Discussion pointsCivil Society: In-depth: Where are all the charity mergers?
→ Civil Society: In-depth: Where are all the charity mergers?About Eastside People Charity Consultancy & Recruitment
→ About Eastside People Charity Consultancy & RecruitmentWe worked with Eastside People on a difficult merger and were delighted with the process they used and with the final report. They worked to a tight timetable that we imposed and met every deadline. They fulfilled the brief we set and engaged with all of the people/organisations we recommended. I would use them again and would definitely recommend them to other charities.
Liz Campbell, CEO
Association of Air Ambulances
Eastside People provided invaluable independent support for Richmond Fellowship and Humankind throughout the merger discussions, development of the case for merging and the ongoing integration. As a large and complex merger we could not have done this without their support. In all conversations, they helped us to stay focused on improving impact for the people who we work with.
Paul Townsley, CEO and Carolyn Regan, Chair
Waythrough (Humankind and Richmond Fellowship)
ShareAction engaged Eastside People to help us understand the strategic options available for an operational unit, including partnership, social investment and spinout. We were grateful for the breadth and depth of experience which EP consultants John Leach and Warren Taylor brought. Their advice greatly strengthened what we would have been able to do ourselves, giving the management team and board assurance that the market had been fully explored. They delivered a great outcome to maximise the success of the important programmatic work and ensure its long-term sustainability.
Simon Rawson, Director of Corporate Engagement & Deputy Chief Executive
ShareAction
The relevant experience and calibre of EP Consultants offered a calming influence and steady hand - alongside invaluable help and support when most needed.
Richard Franklin, Chief Executive
Kisharon Langon
We need to be prepared for the growing population of people needing end-of-life care. A bigger, more efficient organisation will be able to deliver equality of care across the area, as well as reaching out to different groups of people who haven’t engaged with the hospices before. We received really good, sage advice from Eastside People. They drew upon their experience of many mergers and gave lots of options about how to approach different situations. The benefit of working with a consultancy like Eastside People is that there is a portfolio of expertise behind your main contact, I know there will always be someone at Eastside People who can offer advice if I pick up the phone.
Stewart Marks, Chief Executive
Rennie Grove, now Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care
See Case StudyWe worked with the Eastside People team to try and find a new home for 3SC. Their team worked hard to understand our hopes and ambitions and to identify potential best fit organisations. They were extremely pro-active in driving the process and keeping us updated as a Board. While we finished up finding a different solution without Eastside Primetimers involvement we would almost certainly have spent much time down rabbit holes, chasing unsuitable partners. Thank you.
John Swinney, Chief Executive
3SC Capitalise Ltd
See Case StudyWe were impressed with the way in which Eastside People worked closely with us, taking the time to understand our organisation and ensuring that the research they carried out into potential mergers aligned with our charity's core vision and values. They facilitated initial discussions with the highest levels of professionalism and efficiency, enabling us to build a strong relationship with Life Opportunities Trust, and ultimately achieve a successful merger.
Karen Sheridan, Chief Operating Officer
Community Integrated Care
Eastside People are known as the merger experts in the world of not-for - profits with very good reason! From the very beginning, Eastside People have shown themselves to be hugely knowledgeable and supportive; engaging Deborah Jenkins as Project Lead was an absolute master stroke. Without Deborah's input I am 100% confident that we would not have achieved the merger; her knowledge, experience and skills ensured that the end goal of merger remained at the forefront. Thank you so much to Deborah and Eastside People for helping us to achieve our ambition of the creation of Nurtrio, who now have the support of an outstanding parent company, Navigo CIC.
Jo Barnes, Chief Executive
Nurtrio
See Case StudyWe set out to find a partner that provided both the infrastructure we needed to grow and synergy in terms of values and ambition. Without the support of Eastside People we would never have approached Community Integrated Care, who ended up being the perfect partner. Eastside People's initial research into potential partners was invaluable, and they have been professional, supportive and helped us to stay focused on our goals. This partnership will allow us to replicate the work we already do in our Blackheath centre all across the UK, dramatically increasing the number of beneficiaries we reach.
Rebecca Packwood, Chief Executive
Age Exchange
Eastside People consultant Dave Garratt was really helpful, knowledgeable and supportive. He managed to pull off a very comprehensive report in a short timescale for us.
Vicki Beere, CE
Project 6 - Airedale Voluntary Drug and Alcohol Agency
We worked with Eastside People on a difficult merger and were delighted with the process they used and with the final report. They worked to a tight timetable that we imposed and met every deadline. They fulfilled the brief we set and engaged with all of the people/organisations we recommended. I would use them again and would definitely recommend them to other charities.
Liz Campbell, CEO
Association of Air Ambulances
Eastside People provided invaluable independent support for Richmond Fellowship and Humankind throughout the merger discussions, development of the case for merging and the ongoing integration. As a large and complex merger we could not have done this without their support. In all conversations, they helped us to stay focused on improving impact for the people who we work with.
Paul Townsley, CEO and Carolyn Regan, Chair
Waythrough (Humankind and Richmond Fellowship)
ShareAction engaged Eastside People to help us understand the strategic options available for an operational unit, including partnership, social investment and spinout. We were grateful for the breadth and depth of experience which EP consultants John Leach and Warren Taylor brought. Their advice greatly strengthened what we would have been able to do ourselves, giving the management team and board assurance that the market had been fully explored. They delivered a great outcome to maximise the success of the important programmatic work and ensure its long-term sustainability.
Simon Rawson, Director of Corporate Engagement & Deputy Chief Executive
ShareAction
The relevant experience and calibre of EP Consultants offered a calming influence and steady hand - alongside invaluable help and support when most needed.
Richard Franklin, Chief Executive
Kisharon Langon
We need to be prepared for the growing population of people needing end-of-life care. A bigger, more efficient organisation will be able to deliver equality of care across the area, as well as reaching out to different groups of people who haven’t engaged with the hospices before. We received really good, sage advice from Eastside People. They drew upon their experience of many mergers and gave lots of options about how to approach different situations. The benefit of working with a consultancy like Eastside People is that there is a portfolio of expertise behind your main contact, I know there will always be someone at Eastside People who can offer advice if I pick up the phone.
Stewart Marks, Chief Executive
Rennie Grove, now Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care
See Case StudyWe worked with the Eastside People team to try and find a new home for 3SC. Their team worked hard to understand our hopes and ambitions and to identify potential best fit organisations. They were extremely pro-active in driving the process and keeping us updated as a Board. While we finished up finding a different solution without Eastside Primetimers involvement we would almost certainly have spent much time down rabbit holes, chasing unsuitable partners. Thank you.
John Swinney, Chief Executive
3SC Capitalise Ltd
See Case StudyWe were impressed with the way in which Eastside People worked closely with us, taking the time to understand our organisation and ensuring that the research they carried out into potential mergers aligned with our charity's core vision and values. They facilitated initial discussions with the highest levels of professionalism and efficiency, enabling us to build a strong relationship with Life Opportunities Trust, and ultimately achieve a successful merger.
Karen Sheridan, Chief Operating Officer
Community Integrated Care
Eastside People are known as the merger experts in the world of not-for - profits with very good reason! From the very beginning, Eastside People have shown themselves to be hugely knowledgeable and supportive; engaging Deborah Jenkins as Project Lead was an absolute master stroke. Without Deborah's input I am 100% confident that we would not have achieved the merger; her knowledge, experience and skills ensured that the end goal of merger remained at the forefront. Thank you so much to Deborah and Eastside People for helping us to achieve our ambition of the creation of Nurtrio, who now have the support of an outstanding parent company, Navigo CIC.
Jo Barnes, Chief Executive
Nurtrio
See Case StudyWe set out to find a partner that provided both the infrastructure we needed to grow and synergy in terms of values and ambition. Without the support of Eastside People we would never have approached Community Integrated Care, who ended up being the perfect partner. Eastside People's initial research into potential partners was invaluable, and they have been professional, supportive and helped us to stay focused on our goals. This partnership will allow us to replicate the work we already do in our Blackheath centre all across the UK, dramatically increasing the number of beneficiaries we reach.
Rebecca Packwood, Chief Executive
Age Exchange
Eastside People consultant Dave Garratt was really helpful, knowledgeable and supportive. He managed to pull off a very comprehensive report in a short timescale for us.
Vicki Beere, CE
Project 6 - Airedale Voluntary Drug and Alcohol Agency
We worked with Eastside People on a difficult merger and were delighted with the process they used and with the final report. They worked to a tight timetable that we imposed and met every deadline. They fulfilled the brief we set and engaged with all of the people/organisations we recommended. I would use them again and would definitely recommend them to other charities.
Liz Campbell, CEO
Association of Air Ambulances
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