What I do, why I do it, and why it matters.

Let’s be honest: the third sector can be a bit of a maze.

One minute you’re sorting safeguarding paperwork and planning a local event, the next you’re trying to decode a funding application written in what looks like legal Latin. And all the while, you’re trying to actually make something happen for your community.

That’s where I come in.

I’m Constance Grayson, founder of Third Sector Support Solutions Ltd – a consultancy that helps charities, CICs, grassroots projects, and social ventures navigate the complicated stuff so they can get on with the good stuff.

Over the past 20 years, I’ve helped launch more than 140 organisations and supported over 400 others with funding, business advice, and sustainable planning. Some have grown from kitchen-table ideas into community fixtures. Some have stayed small and mighty. All of them matter.

Because here’s what I know for sure:
👉 The most impactful work isn’t always shiny.
👉 The best ideas don’t always come with a budget.
👉 And the people doing this work? They rarely have time to read five pages of funder guidance.

That’s where we roll up our sleeves.

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What We Do – and How We Do It Differently

Third Sector Support Solutions exists for one reason: to make life easier for people doing community-led work.

We don’t talk down. We don’t upsell. And we definitely don’t believe in making things more complicated than they need to be.

We help with:

• Funding bids (big and small)
• Charity/CIC set-up and governance
• Business plans and income strategies
• Mentoring and strategic thinking

We work with organisations from all walks of life, but we’ve developed specialist experience supporting NRI and Punjabi-led groups – helping them translate their cultural and social value into language that funders understand.

No jargon. No gatekeeping. Just solid support, tailored to your reality.

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The Bit About Credentials (if you like that sort of thing)

• SFEDI Accredited Business Adviser
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
• Member of the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs
• Lifelong advocate for grassroots changemakers
• Still the one who answers the emails

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Why I’m Still Doing This

After all these years, I’m still endlessly inspired by the people I work with – the ones turning ordinary moments into extraordinary change. A support group that grows into a CIC. A sports club that becomes a lifeline. A cultural group that keeps tradition alive while helping people feel at home in a new country.

It’s never just admin. It’s never just funding. It’s about building something that lasts.

So if you’re out there doing the work – or want to be – and you could use a hand making sense of the strategy, the structure, or the funding fog, drop me a line.

Or send someone my way who might need a bit of guidance.

You can read more over on the (more polished) website:
👉 www.3rdsss.com

But here, on The Art of Stupidity, I’ll keep sharing the real stories – the mess, the wins, the lessons, and the things they don’t tell you in the training manuals.

Because every organisation deserves a chance to thrive – especially yours.

This post is part of my ‘No-Nonsense Nonprofit’ series. I’m Connie – consultant at Third Sector Support Solutions Ltd, where I help social sector organisations untangle the messy stuff and write bids that get funded. This blog lives on The Art of Stupidity – my honest, human space for sharing what I’ve learned in the field.