24th October 2019 – Third Sector Article – Core funding is crucial for small charities

Letting charities determine how to allocate funds and deliver services effectively is the difference between a charity thriving or closing its doors.

Working in the third sector in the current financial climate is tough, with many charities struggling to secure funding to pay for their core resources. I have worked in the charity sector for more than 20 years, so dwindling core resources is something I have experienced first-hand.

Without premises, staff, working IT systems, stationery and functioning kitchens, most charities simply could not continue to keep their doors open and provide much-needed services. It is these costs that core unrestricted funding can deliver.

In many ways the modern funding cycle can be a double-edged sword. As grant-givers demand that charities become more procedure driven and vigilant (rightly so when public money is at stake), more money is required to meet these demands. Insurance, for example, is a massive expense for many smaller charities. The Hampton Trust recently had to pay for cyber security to ensure all our sensitive material and data is secure, bringing our annual insurance bill to an outrageous amount for which it has proved hard to find funding.

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