Small Charities Week

This week is Small Charities Week, a national celebration of the vital role small charities play in communities across the UK.

In East Dunbartonshire there are currently 253 registered charities and over half of these have an annual income of under £25,000. 74% have an income of under £100,000.

Small Charities, Big Impact

Small does not mean that small charities do not make a big difference however; in-fact a report by Sheffield Hallam University and Lloyds Bank Foundation found that the unique characteristics of small and medium sized charities bring about significant social value.

Small charities are often community based and community led; they can respond to a particular need or gap and have an understanding of local issues. The report highlighted that person centred relationships are often key and small charities are much more likely to work with people over a longer period of time and can ‘act as the glue that holds communities together’. The latest findings from the Scottish Third Sector Tracker show that organisations with an annual income of £100,000 or less continue to face significant challenges. Fundraising remains a concern for 43% of small organisations, while 39% report volunteer shortages and a third mention rising costs as a concern. Yet small charities continue to be resilient with more than 1 in 5 delivering more services than they had planned over the last 6 months.

So a huge thank you to everyone who supports, volunteers and works for and with small charities in East Dunbartonshire you are making a huge difference!

We would also like to remind you that small voluntary organisations with an income under £100,000 a year can get free SCVO membership which includes access to Funding Scotland Premium and 30% discount on SCVO training and events. For more information see: https://scvo.scot/membership

And if you are a third sector organization working in East Dunbartonshire you can sign up to be an EDVA member here: https://edva.org/membership