If you thought 2016 was a tough year, 2017 looks set to be just as challenging.
Take LocalGiving’s second annual report on the sustainability of local charity and community groups, for example. It found that 78% of its respondents expect demand for their services to increase even more than they have already but that only a fifth of these organisations feel sufficiently resourced to meet this need.
Coupled with this is the finding that just over half of groups see income generation as the most pressing concern, with a 67% predicting stagnation or downturn in their financial position over the coming year. Although 79% of respondents are confident that their organisation can sustain itself over the coming 12 months, this positivity drops to less than half when extended to 5 years. This lack of sustainability is a huge concern for us all and more importantly for the vulnerable people the sector serves.
One way in which charities can protect themselves against a constantly changing environment is by equipping themselves with the right skills and knowledge. Business mentoring can play a key role here – not just for operational matters but for fundraising and financial issues too.
Having spent six years facilitating mentoring relationships between top business leaders and small charity CEOs I’ve seen how the business mentoring process can affect real change, particularly within financial sustainability. The charity leaders I work with often tell me how they feel stuck and hampered in thinking creatively about sustainable solutions for the future. Change requires leaders to look at their organisation in a new way but this is incredibly challenging especially if they try to go it alone.
By Charlie Medcalf, Head of Project Management
Published in UK Fundraising. Read the full article here