According to the Small Charities Survey 2016,  there are over 150,000 small charities registered in England and Wales and over 600,000 micro charities too small to register, with a combined annual turnover of £1million.
Together they make up the majority of the UK charity sector, but last year concerns were raised about these charities getting their voices heard in the discussions over the future regulation of fundraising.
In response to this, the Small Charities Coalition and the Institute of Fundraising have produced a survey shedding light on the views of smaller charities about future fundraising
reforms.
The main insights offered are:
  • There are low levels of awareness of the review of fundraising regulations and that there is significant work needed to raise awareness of the forthcoming changes to all charities if a stronger regulator is established.
  • Public trust and confidence are being felt differently across smaller charities – with 49% seeing not very much or no impact on their organisation, with 46% seeing some or a great impact.
  • Smaller charities are most concerned about the administrative and cost burden of a Fundraising Preference Service. 40% thought it would result in a drop in donations rather than produce a better public image (29%).
  • The survey was split over who should fund the new regulator – with 38% thinking it should come from charities that fundraise from the public and 34% thinking funding should come from government.
  • There is general agreement on stronger sanctions needed – with 52% favouring cease and desist powers for the new regulator and 43% in favour of issuing compulsory training orders.
  • While a fifth of respondents thought that the greater oversight of trustees would have a significant impact on their organisation – 72% said that trustees already play a clear role in or contribute to and set strategy for fundraising.
Hopefully, insights from the Small Charities Survey 2016 will be considered and prove useful in the development of a new Fundraising Regulator and give voice to small charities during discussions on a new Fundraising Preference Service.
Read the full survey here