NAVCA survey shows we need to Back Britain’s Charities

This morning NAVCA released the results of their quarterly survey of their members, and the results echo many of the concerns voiced by charities as part of the Back Britain’s Charities campaign.

Amongst the headline figures, NAVCA found that almost half of their members were reducing staff and that the majority of survey respondents predicted that their local authority would have a negative impact on their success in the year ahead.

What is more, chiming in with the statistics from the latest in the Managing In a Downturn series of reports (PwC, the Charity Finance Group & the Institute of Fundraising) which revealed that 67% of charities have reported an increase in demand for services, for the fourth time the NAVCA survey found that an increased workload is the biggest issue for voluntary sector respondents.

During the course of the Back Britain’s Charities campaign, we’ve been referring to the ‘triple whammy’ effect on charity finances – namely, the 20% drop in individual donations (as reported in UK Giving 2012), cuts to local government funding up and down the country, and the increasing demand for services. These circumstances – both individually and in combination – have been responsible for ramping up the pressure on organisations who were already struggling to cope in the wake of the economic downturn. 

We’re regularly in receipt of testimonials submitted via our website and through correspondence, that corroborates the evidence that has been found in recent surveys like this latest one by NAVCA, and in our own research. Stories of charities having to turn the lights off, or the heating down, in order to make ends meet, of local community groups having to let loyal volunteers go, and of small organisations providing niche services – such as support for the victims of domestic violence – having to close down completely.

We also hear more motivational tales of the real value charities bring to our communities and lives. Respite care for the mums and dads of disabled children, the provision of meals-on-wheels for the elderly, organisations ensuring that there is food and shelter to those who have fallen upon hard times. These are things that we can’t afford to lose –  both in terms of the services they provide, and in terms of the fundamental values they bring with them.

Considering all of the above, we can easily see that there is a clear need for a campaign like Back Britain’s Charities in order to galvanise the sector, and make sure that these issues are tackled properly so that we don’t face a future without the valuable contribution that charities make for the benefit of us all.

Know someone else who would like to Back Britain’s Charities? Why not sent them the link!www.backbritainscharities.org.uk