This week is a celebration of small charities, both in the North East and further afield, and it’s safe to say this year has been a tough one so far!
In the North East there are more than 7,000 formal organisations and many more community groups and unregistered organisations working hard to make life better. Small charities with an income below £100,000 account for more than 80 per cent of the sector, and nearly half the sector has an income of less than £10,000.
The VCSE sector is facing unprecedented challenges and small charities are being hit hard. Small and medium charities are facing the biggest loss of income as a result of Covid-19 and the recent survey by VONNE and local infrastructure organisations found that: “the smallest organisations, those with an income under £50k, show a more extreme spectrum of impact, with 16 per cent expecting no drop in income, but a third expecting a drop of more than 75 per cent. This is likely because the smallest organisations rely more heavily on fundraising income.”
A key recommendation following the survey is that funders and commissioners should continue the good practice seen so far during the crisis and continue with trust and relationship-based funding and commissioning.
Whilst times are tough, the sector is doing what it always does – getting on with the job of supporting the most vulnerable people in our society – and none more so than small charities.
We know that small charities have been working at pace to continue to deliver their services, adapt and change the way they work, to amplify the voices of the most vulnerable; all whilst facing their own professional and personal difficulties.
Join us in recognising and celebrating the enormous achievements of small charities in the North East, this week and every week!
Written by Anne Fry, Deputy CEO, VONNE
Small Charity Week 2020 takes place June 15th-20th and VONNE and other organisations from across the North East region are working together to bring small charities a range of online events and workshops to help them in all sorts of ways.
You can support the week and find out more about all the support available by using the Twitter hashtag #SmallCharityNE.