# Covid-19 sees just 1 in 5 small charities providing normal service

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2020/03/18/covid-19-sees-just-1-in-5-small-charities-providing-normal-service/
- Published: 2020-03-18T17:24:27+00:00
- Author: Melanie May

**The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic means that only 1 in 5 small charities are
currently offering a normal level of service, according to early results from a 
Small Charities Coalition survey.**

 

The [survey](https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/COVID19SmallCharitiesSurvey), which
is still open, saw over 450 small charities respond in the first 24 hours.

## Advertisement

 

https://twitter.com/sccoalition/status/1240237019390935043

 

Findings so far reveal that half (49%) of small charities have already lost funding,
and 70% expect to be able to meet payroll costs for a maximum of six months without
help from the government.

 

Almost a third (30%) believe they will have to make redundancies or reduce staff
hours as a result of the crisis, and 43% have had to create additional policies 
and procedures to try and manage the situation.

 

Respondents have called for more support from DCMS, the Charity Commission, and 
funders to help them through it. These include asking DCMS for greater awareness
of the fact that small charities deliver vital grassroots services in their communities
and will struggle financially because they are unable to fundraise or deliver their
services due to the crisis, as well as assurances that small charities will receive
support as small businesses have been promised.

 

Key messages for the Charity Commission include asking it to help raise the profile
of small charities so they can get more support, and to relax some of its rules,
including around reporting and accounting while the situation continues. Charities
have also asked funders to continue their support, but to be more flexible over 
how money is distributed and how they can use it.

 

The survey can be taken [here](https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/COVID19SmallCharitiesSurvey),
and the Small Charities Commission will resurvey in four weeks.

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 * **[Applications open for fourth round of Aviva Community Fund](https://fundraising.co.uk/2020/09/07/applications-open-for-fourth-round-of-aviva-community-fund/)**(
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 * **[KFC Foundation invites grant applications from local charities supporting young people](https://fundraising.co.uk/2020/09/10/kfc-foundation-invites-grant-applications-from-local-charities-supporting-young-people/)**(
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