New research indicates charity leaders are preparing for tough times ahead
The NCVO’s second edition of its quarterly survey of charity leaders was conducted between 2-21 May 2008 and the participants were chief executives, directors, trustees and senior managers of charities or voluntary organsiations.
A total of 120 responses were used for the report and key findings included:
- charity leaders’ confidence has fallen 5 per cent in the last quarter, but still shows a net positive confidence of 40 per cent;
- confidence in the voluntary sector economy has dropped by 21 per cent since March 2008;
- there has also been a 16 per cent drop in expectations for the UK economy as a whole;
- there has been a substantial decrease (15 per cent) in confidence in the Government’s ability to improve the sector’s operating environment; and
- despite the difficulties, 49 per cent of charity leaders still expect to increase their campaigning and advocacy over the coming year, suggesting charities are finding ways to get their message out there despite the difficulties.
The individual comments from respondents included concerns about the economic downturn: ‘it will take time forpublic confidence and spending to be restored once stability has been restored’; government policies: ‘the move towards consortium development and funding by Capacity Builders and the BigLottery are damaging infrastructure provisionat a local level’; and the voluntary sector: ‘our problem 00per cent is supportive funding’.
The survey is conducted online and is free to all participants. Chief executives, directors and trustees of charities can take part in the next survey (due to take place in August 2008) by emailing charityforecastsurvey@ncvo-vol.org.uk
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