About
Kirsten Bennett is the founder of Kirsten Bennett Coaching and Consulting, a business dedicated to helping charity leaders and organisations achieve lasting impact through practical support, expert guidance and a collaborative approach.
Our founder and lead consultant
With nearly three decades of experience in the non-profit sector, including a transformative tenure as CEO of Cambridgeshire ACRE, Kirsten brings deep, real-world insight to every client engagement.
At Cambridgeshire ACRE, she led the organisation from crisis to stability, building nationally recognised programmes for rural communities, securing significant funding, and delivering innovative programmes that made a real difference.
Kirsten’s consultancy specialises in working with small and medium-sized charities, supporting volunteer trustees. Her approach is rooted in empathy, clarity and evidence-based practice. As a certified coach, Kirsten creates a trusted space for leaders to reflect, learn and grow, blending thoughtful questioning with practical strategies. She understands the pressures charity leaders face shrinking funding, rising demand and the need to demonstrate impact and offers tailored solutions in governance, leadership, evaluation and fundraising.
Career highlights include
- Developing innovative programmes and successful fundraising, securing over £15 million through tendering, lottery, health, and local authority contracts.
- Developing multi-agency partnerships and place-based strategies to secure investment from the EU and UK Government for the Cambridgeshire Fens, including ESF, LEADER, and CLLD.
- Leading stakeholder consultation and writing countrywide strategies for the voluntary sector and local authority partners, including rural and market town strategies.
- Providing strategic representation and policy support for the voluntary sector at a local and national level.
- Establishing the community-led housing advice hub for the East of England, forming the board, developing the vision, budget, and business plan, and delivering services to communities and local authorities.
- Consultant for a new Rivers Trust for the Great Ouse, including supporting the trustees with governance, employment, strategic planning and fundraising.
- Evaluating the Restoration Trust National Heritage Lottery Fund resilient project, including supporting the trustees with the development of a vision, theory of change and the evaluation framework.
Clients choose Kirsten Bennett Coaching and Consulting because of Kirsten’s lived experience, sector knowledge, and commitment to sustainable change. Her mission is to empower leaders to unlock their potential and build resilient organisations, to make a meaningful difference in their communities.
Clients include
Great Ouse Rivers Trust | Soul Flow | Swaffham Heritage Partnership
The Restoration Trust | Home-Start Cambridgeshire
Wisbech Foodbank | Ellesmere Centre Charitable Trust
Broads Authority
Our professional memberships and networks
We are proud to be active members of respected consultancy networks and professional organisations. These memberships reflect our commitment to high standards, ongoing learning and sector best practice.
Our memberships include:
International Coaching Federation
With Purpose Network
Anglia Rural Consultants
Charity Consultants UK
Social Value Engine
Want to know more about how we can support you?
28 years
Dedicated to the non-profit sector for 28 years.
Insights
Unlocking leadership potential12 January 2026
Bridging the gap between charities and funders9 January 2026
SORP 2026: New requirements for impact reporting2 January 2026