Two weeks ago we opened an emergency support offer for small charities and social enterprises. This is what we learnt in our second week:
- 15 charities and social enterprises applied this week and received immediate support (mostly sub £1m turnover).
- 23 professionals have now offered their time for our Pro Bono Bank with skills in finance, e-commerce, charity management, funding, governance and HR.
- Mainly requests have been for: financial modelling, advice on emergency funding, shifting services and communications online.
- Impacts are very differential, depending on income sources, client group/delivery location, extent of reliance on volunteers and capacity to be adaptive.
- Fairing worst seem to be social enterprises or charities who have diversified into earned income (those with contracts and/or grants are being supported by funders being very flexible).
- The situation is compounded because small business funding is not available to charities/social enterprises as they tend to have discretionary or mandatory rate relief not small business rate relief.
- There is a human toll for leaders and our advisors talk of people on the phone in tears.
If you would are a charity or social enterprise and would like emergency support, please take our survey here below.
GET SUPPORT NOW