# Demand for services “outstrips small charities’ income”

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/04/30/demand-services-outstrips-small-charities-income/
- Published: 2014-04-30T00:17:20+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Income to small charities is not keeping track with demand for their services, figures
from the [Foundation for Social Improvement](http://www.thefsi.org)’s Small Charity
Index show.

The [latest three-monthly figures](http://www.thefsi.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Comparisons-Sept-Nov-2013-Dec-2013-Feb-2014.pdf)–
from December 2013 to February 2014 – show that 77 per cent of the 350 charities
taking part in the survey reported that their statutory funding hadn’t changed in
that period while 46 per cent reported no movement in their voluntary income either.
However 32 per cent reported an increase in voluntary income.

Over the same time 62 per cent reported an increase in demand for the services.

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“This steady rise in demand will at some point, probably in the not too distant 
future, see small charities reach breaking point,” the FSI report says. “Given small
charities’ crucial role in delivering local services to local people a funding solution
needs to be discussed sooner rather than later.”

The report says that initiatives such as the [Transition Fund](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/100-million-transition-fund-to-support-charities)–
under which £100m was set aside for distribution through the Big Lottery Fund to
assist small organisations adapted to new funding environments – had simply papered
over the cracks.

“If the Small Charity Index is correct, these initiatives have only served to mask
the deep-rooted problem that funding is flat-lining for small charities,” the report
goes on.

“Results from the Small Charity Index point to the need for government to continue
to show their support through funding initiatives and skills development for those
small charities delivering front line services through a mixture of grants and contracts.”

The survey results have been published to coincide with the launch of [Small Charity Week](http://smallcharityweek.com/)
from 16-21 June. Now in its fifth year, the programme for 2014 includes a ‘policy
day’ (offering small charities across the UK the chance to meet with and engage 
with policy makers, commissioners and influencers to discuss the issues affecting
them) a fundraising day and a volunteering day.

 * **[NCVO asks: how has your charity adapted following the recession?](https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/07/28/ncvo-asks-charity-adapted-following-recession/)**(
   28 July 2014)
 * **[Data gathering for eighth ‘Managing in a Downturn’ kicks off](https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/11/24/data-gathering-eighth-managing-downturn-kicks/)**(
   24 November 2014)
 * **[Charity sector’s income has “flat-lined since 2009”](https://fundraising.co.uk/2015/07/23/charity-sectors-income-has-flat-lined-since-2009/)**(
   23 July 2015)