Independent Communications Consultants
Specialist Fundraising. Greater Impact. Smarter Investment.
Small non-profit organisations are asked to deliver significant social impact—often with limited resources, constrained budgets, and unrealistic expectations placed on a single role.
ICC exists to change that.
We partner with purpose-driven organisations to improve outputs, enhance outcomes, and extend their impact on society—by providing access to the specialist expertise they need, at a cost they can afford.
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The Fundraising Trap
Many small organisations take a brave and important step—they commit to investing in fundraising.
They secure the budget.
They create a role.
They hire one person.
And then they unknowingly set that person—and themselves—up to fail.
Within 12 months, that individual is expected to:
Set the fundraising strategy
Select and implement a CRM system
Steward existing donors
Drive new donor acquisition
Build a grants program—then research, write, submit, and acquit grants
Develop corporate partnerships
Design and deliver a bequest program body of experience
Create and execute fundraising appeals
All while being expected to deliver a positive return on investment within six months.
Why This Doesn’t Work
This model is fundamentally flawed.
No single individual possesses deep expertise across all of these disciplines—because each requires a different skill set, mindset, and experience base.
Strategy requires big-picture, commercial thinking
Grants demand precision, research, and technical writing
Major gifts rely on relationship-building and influence
Corporate partnerships require negotiation and business development
Bequests require sensitivity, patience, and long-term thinking
Campaigns demand creativity, timing, and execution discipline
These are not interchangeable skills. They are specialisations.
Expecting one person to deliver all of them—simultaneously and successfully—is unrealistic.
The result is predictable:
Underperformance
Burnout
Missed opportunities
Disappointment at the Board level
A Smarter Model At ICC, we take a fundamentally different approach. For the same level of investment typically allocated to a single generalist, we provide access to multiple specialists, each working on a program body in their area of expertise. Instead of one overstretched individual, you gain: A strategist to guide direction A grants specialist to secure funding A partnerships expert to unlock corporate value A philanthropy lead to grow major gifts Campaign support to drive acquisition and engagement Structured implementation across all streams The Result Stronger execution Faster traction Higher-quality relationshipsbody of experience Increased funding outcomes Sustainable, long-term growth The Difference One generalist trying to do everything will always struggle to deliver. A coordinated team of specialists delivers results.
A Smarter Model At ICC, we take a fundamentally different approach. For the same level of investment typically allocated to a single generalist, we provide access to multiple specialists, each working on a program body in their area of expertise. Instead of one overstretched individual, you gain: A strategist to guide direction A grants specialist to secure funding A partnerships expert to unlock corporate value A philanthropy lead to grow major gifts Campaign support to drive acquisition and engagement Structured implementation across all streams The Result Stronger execution Faster traction Higher-quality relationshipsbody of experience Increased funding outcomes Sustainable, long-term growth The Difference One generalist trying to do everything will always struggle to deliver. A coordinated team of specialists delivers results.
Paul Gabrielides
Consultant
Commercially astute and purpose-driven executive with a proven track record leading organisations through growth, turnaround, and transformation across not-for-profit and private sectors.
Known for aligning strategy, culture, and revenue generation, Paul brings a hands-on leadership style that builds high-performing teams, strengthens stakeholder relationships, and delivers sustainable outcomes. He thrives in complex environments where commercial success must align with a clear social or organisational purpose.
His leadership is grounded in persistence, resilience, and accountability, with a strong focus on enabling people and organisations to achieve measurable impact.
Known for aligning strategy, culture, and revenue generation, Paul brings a hands-on leadership style that builds high-performing teams, strengthens stakeholder relationships, and delivers sustainable outcomes. He thrives in complex environments where commercial success must align with a clear social or organisational purpose.
His leadership is grounded in persistence, resilience, and accountability, with a strong focus on enabling people and organisations to achieve measurable impact.
Mark Lee
Consultant
A fundraising and philanthropy leader with 15+ years of transformative impact across Australia and the US. Based in Sydney, he combines a corporate background in engineering and sales with deep nonprofit expertise to drive sustainable funding solutions for social causes—from youth empowerment and homelessness to healthcare access and refugee rights.
Mark has managed portfolios up to $3M+, secured multi-year grants (including a $510k family foundation grant and $500k+), and rapidly scaled resources for vulnerable populations, growing funding by $250k+ in 12 months in SE Sydney. He has launched inaugural fundraising functions, achieved 30% grant success rates, and built cross-sector coalitions with government, philanthropy, and corporates.
His career pivot from nuclear engineering to NGO leadership reflects his commitment to social justice. A collaborative leader fluent in stakeholder engagement, Mark excels at translating community needs into compelling narratives that unite sectors for lasting change.
Mark has managed portfolios up to $3M+, secured multi-year grants (including a $510k family foundation grant and $500k+), and rapidly scaled resources for vulnerable populations, growing funding by $250k+ in 12 months in SE Sydney. He has launched inaugural fundraising functions, achieved 30% grant success rates, and built cross-sector coalitions with government, philanthropy, and corporates.
His career pivot from nuclear engineering to NGO leadership reflects his commitment to social justice. A collaborative leader fluent in stakeholder engagement, Mark excels at translating community needs into compelling narratives that unite sectors for lasting change.
Elsa Skinner OAM
Consultant
A highly regarded Australian community leader and philanthropic relationship specialist with extensive expertise in high-net-worth donor stewardship, major gifts engagement, and charitable advocacy. With decades of experience across the not-for-profit and community sectors, Elsa has built a reputation for cultivating authentic, values-driven relationships with philanthropists, business leaders, trusts, and community stakeholders to generate meaningful and lasting social impact.
Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the community through charitable organisations, Elsa combines strategic fundraising insight with genuine compassion and credibility. She is particularly skilled in:
High-net-worth donor cultivation and stewardship.Relationship management and philanthropic engagement.Major gifts and community fundraising strategy.Corporate and community partnership development.Stakeholder engagement and donor communications.Event-based fundraising and supporter retention.Advocacy, community outreach, and social impact initiatives.
Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the community through charitable organisations, Elsa combines strategic fundraising insight with genuine compassion and credibility. She is particularly skilled in:
High-net-worth donor cultivation and stewardship.Relationship management and philanthropic engagement.Major gifts and community fundraising strategy.Corporate and community partnership development.Stakeholder engagement and donor communications.Event-based fundraising and supporter retention.Advocacy, community outreach, and social impact initiatives.
Contact us
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