Log in
Watch Our Video
Our Christmas 2023 Small(s) Celebration was so successful it ran for 7 months. The vast majority of smalls have limited reach, so we shouted out for a different one in our newsletter and on social media each week and we used the circa 100 images they sent us to replace our own website imagery and turn it into a celebration of all things small.
But what they really need is funding, so we're building on this with our #LoveYourSmalls campaign, backed up by our next generation AI that we hope to launch in the autumn.
There are about 400k charities in the UK, about 95% of which have income under £500k pa. The vast majority are volunteer led and with staff costs about 80% of most organisation's budget, we deliver massive value for money - but the vast bulk of the sector's income goes to the remaining 5%. Our fundraising trends 2024 report used our Big Data to identify the Cost of Living Crisis had hit small charity fundraising hardest and our work on AI that this has created a growing risk of creating digital moats, potentially making an already very bad situation even worse.
We provide 11 systems in one free platform, which enable any non profit, no matter how small, to find the funding, free help and resources it needs. Each of our systems is optimised for small charities and marginalised groups. We define marginalised as those often very small groups from the disability, BAME, and LGBTQI+ communities, and food banks, homelessness and women's groups who are often pushed to the back of the funding queue. We are an enabler, not a sector body but we are always happy to use our reach to support small charities.
With the closure of the Small Charities Coalition then the FSI, Charity Excellence is the last small charity infrastructure body that provides broad based support to all smalls UK wide but there are also 100s of fabulous small infrastructure charities. Most work with local charities but there are some specialist national ones. They are a priority for our support because they are able to reach into and support small local charities.
We may be small but there are lots and lots and lots of us and, working collectively to support and promote each other, we can make a big difference.
There is a huge funding gap but, if you buy from a sister non profit, you're buying from people passionate about their work, your money will go to people doing good, not profit, and you help to close the funding gap just a 'small' bit. Every bit helps and there are 0.5 million UK non profits and 95% of them are smalls. If we all buy from sister smalls, it'd make a huge difference. Here's how to #LoveYourSmalls.
Our featured image for this blog is GoStart Community Transport.
They offers demand responsive transport to elderly and/or disabled people living in Sudbury, Suffolk and surrounding villages. We have association with over 50 local voluntary organisations to whom we offer an accessible minibus and driver for group outings. Pricing is £160 for a full day with up to 16 passengers. If your “small" is outside our area, visit www.ctauk.org to find your nearest Community Transport operator.
The Charity Hall of Fame foundation recognises changemakers through a community-driven nomination process. We don't say thank you often enough to our fabulous people in small charities, many of whom have worked away quietly for years. This is your chance to say thank you to our unsung heroes.The deadline is 20 September 2024.
Some companies specifically provide support for small charities and we'll be looking for them and shouting about this too. Here's one we're promoting now.
Design for All have asked me to make you aware that they provide professional expertise for building related projects which are in early development for 2 to 4 small English charities, community groups and other organisations, with income under £1m pa, that make positive contributions to their community and believe in good design. The deadline for this year's applications is 19 July.
There isn't enough funding and there isn't going to be anytime soon but there's more that Government could and should be doing. We'll be developing our ideas and shouting about these too. Here's our first idea.
Public Sector Payroll Giving. There are more than o.5 million civil servants and payroll giving is almost cost free for employers. We argue that.
We also suggest charity groups and infrastructure bodies consider lobbying their local councils, NHS or government bodies based locally to adopt payroll giving.
A registered charity ourselves, the CEF works for any non profit, not just charities.
Plus, 100+downloadable funder lists, 40+ policies, 8 online health checks and the huge resource base.
Quick, simple and very effective.
Find Funding, Free Help & Resources - Everything Is Free.
To access help and resources on anything to do with running a charity, including funding, click the AI Bunny icon in the bottom right of your screen and ask it short questions, including key words. Register, then login and the in-system AI Bunny is able to write funding bids and download 40+ charity policy templates as well.
