A specialist consultancy.
Ploughshare is a specialist consultancy working solely within the not for profit and charitable sector. Unlike management and business consultants coming from the corporate arena, we understand you from the very start. We understand your values, the passion you have for your cause and the challenges you face around growth and funding. All Ploughshare staff and partners come from the NFP sector and have years of experience within it.
Steve Tollestrup, founder of Ploughshare brings three decades of experience as successful not-for-profit CEO and NFP consultant in both Aotearoa and internationally, as well an elected local government representative. Steve has consulted for NGO’s, community groups, charities, faith-based organisations and social enterprises across Aotearoa and internationally.
So, Ploughshare clients are able to draw on an extensive skillset as strategist, social entrepreneur, fundraiser, leadership mentor and trainer. These skills are committed to empowering organisations to develop capacity, plan systematically, and build an independent and secure funding base.
The Ploughshare mission
Ploughshare exists for… Building innovative, resilient and financially sustainable not for profit and charitable organisations.
And today, Ploughshare clients benefit their communities across social sectors including health, budgeting, youth development, recreation, environment, counselling, peace-building, international aid, advocacy and social work. Supporting this kind of work is our kaupapa and DNA. We are as passionate about this as you are of your organisation’s vision and mission.
Services
Strategy development
It’s unlikely that substantive organisational improvement will happen without a robust plan at it’s heart. And so the journey to transformation starts with listening to your team, building on both client and consultant wisdom, to develop a strategy for success.
Fundraising
Funding is fuel in your tank. Our wide fundraising experience, from appeals, major donor development, accessing and preparing grants, to bequest planning – enable game-changing leaps in organisational capacity. This kind of input has helped Ploughshare clients reach a combined fundraising capacity of 15 million dollars per year.
Leadership consultancy
Yes, it really can be lonely at the top. That’s why Leadership supported by experienced professional supervision and mentorship is so important and valuable. Ploughshare executive mentoring can be key to bedding-in transformational change and confident organisational leadership.
Better Boards
A smooth running and engaged board that understands its roles, responsibilities and boundaries is at the heart of an effective organisation. Ploughshare provides training, upskilling and refresher courses for existing boards and support for those being established. We help make good boards even better.
Campaigning
Your mission needs a voice that is heard and respected. Ploughshare and partners can assist with developing your branding, advocacy and communications strategy through cost-effective tactics that tell your story convincingly and with integrity.
Ongoing review
Your outputs and deliverables need to be measured. They are an overlooked key to donor confidence and ongoing support as well as tracking your organisation’s growth and development. We provide a systematic review process to ensure strategy, implementation and results remain in sync, as well as intuitive, effective and easy to implement tools to capture your valuable data.
Turn around interventions
Even a carefully managed organisations can face an unexpected crisis or threat to their existence; funding collapse, internal conflict, loss of key leadership or staff, public relations crisis. Unnerving as these events can be they also offer a rare opportunity for courageous decision making that leads to new paths and unexpected opportunities. Ploughshare has extensive experience in turn around strategies and NFP crisis management and can be counted on to be a trusted partner and guide in navigating crisis.
Discover and connect
If this approach speaks to your organisation’s kaupapa, you’re probably looking for more than just another management consultant.
Discover the key ingredients of the Ploughshare process and connect, today – to start a transformative conversation.