Small Charity Index reveals rise in demand for services
Melanie May | 20 July 2016 | News
Demand for services provided by small charities is rising, with 62% of respondents to the FSI’s latest Small Charity Index seeing an increase in the three months from March to May this year.
Just over a quarter (27%) reported an increase of more than 10%, while just 4% experienced a decrease in demand for services over the same period.
Small charities across all regions experienced an increase in demand over this quarter, with the Midlands, North West, South West and Wales reporting increases of 7%.
This data illustrates the trend of a continuous rise in demand for small charities’ services, Since the The Foundation for Social Improvement (FSI) launched the Small Charity Index report in June 2013, it has surveyed 2877 small charities and demand for services has increased a total of 64%.
However, while the FSI recommends that small charities work in collaboration to help safeguard the services they provide, according to the research the majority of small charities (51%) who state that they are working collaboratively are undertaking less than 10% of their activities in partnership with others, while 27% do not work collaboratively at all.
Pauline Broomhead, CEO of the FSI commented:
“We have seen a further increase in demand for services in the small charity sector. Markets are volatile and potential cuts to public funding is likely- which could trigger even greater demand for small charities and the services they provide”.
“The increasing demand shows that trust in small charities remains high. Smaller organisations are able to adapt quickly to the environment they find themselves in and provide support wherever society needs it”.
The full report can be downloaded here: www.thefsi.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/SCI-Quarterly-Report-12th-Edition.pdf.
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About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.