NAVCA Survey Warns of Challenges for Charities

A NAVCA survey has shown that charities are increasingly pessimistic about what the next year will hold in store for them, and that many have severe concerns about the stability of their own finances.

The survey – published yesterday, and based on results from NAVCA members – found that more NAVCA members (31%) feel that their situation will worsen over the next three months compared to just 24% who think their situation will improve.

Worryingly, the majority of NAVCA members believe that their own finances will get worse over the next 12 months (79%), and 83% think that the organisations they support will see their finances suffer.

However the report also pointed towards increased collaboration between charities, and a belief that charities can work together and with other strategic partners to create a brighter outlook for the charitable sector.

Half of those surveyed said that they believed other charities would have a positive impact on their work, and members also believe that their local council and NHS can help make a positive contribution towards their own success.

These results show that charities are eager to develop relationships with stakeholders in order to ensure that they can continue providing much-needed services to beneficiaries, and demonstrate an optimism that opportunities for charities will continue to be created in the coming year.

NAVCA’s series of quarterly surveys aim to track trends across the voluntary sector, and provide a clearer picture of the opportunities that exist and challenges that are faced by charities in communities across Britain.

This survey comes in the aftermath of a negative quarter of growth for the British economy, and suggests that pessimism about the wider economic outlook is being reflected in the charitable sector.

We want to know what charities are doing to survive during these difficult economic times. Get in touch and share your story!