Fundraising advice webinar series launches to help struggling charities

With increasing demand for services and a loss of funding at an estimated £10 billion putting a strain on the charity sector, the fundraising landscape is more challenging than ever.

As part of the Gloucester-based firm’s Charity Fundraising Hub, launched in September, a series of five webinars has been developed alongside the Directory of Social Change.

The first webinar is taking place on Tuesday 10 November and will provide an overview of the current fundraising environment in terms of what it means for many funders as well as the availability of funds and grants.

It will also consider how donors and supporters are reacting to increasing the ways in which they support voluntary organisations during these extraordinary times – and how charities can adapt to safeguard their futures.

A recent YouGov survey carried out by specialist insurers Ecclesiastical found that loss of funding is the biggest risk facing charities over the next 12 months, with 71 per cent of charities more concerned now as a result of COVID-19.

Social distancing has made face-to-face fundraising impossible and a drop in corporate donations has placed more strain than ever on a sector that depends so much on the giving of others to survive. A massive shortfall in funding combined with a 34 per cent drop in fundraising activity shows just how much of a challenge the current situation is.

Ecclesiastical used its unique insight into the charity sector gained through insuring more than 45,000 charities and not-for-profit organisations in the UK to launch the Charity Fundraising Hub.

The hub was developed in collaboration with Philanthropy Company and includes easy-to-use tools and guidance including tips for researching possible donors and funders as well as checklists for grant applications.

Angus Roy, charity director at Ecclesiastical Insurance, said: “It’s clear that there are both opportunities and challenges in the current fundraising environment and we’ve developed the charity fundraising hub to provide guidance and advice to charities as they look to the future.

“These webinars have been created to help charities to make informed decisions about how to secure income in the short, medium and long term. The playing field has changed, so it is critical that charities adapt to ensure they remain resilient and are able to secure the funding they need to deliver their vital services.”

Further webinars are scheduled to take place from December to February. 

More information can be found on the Charity fundraising pages.