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On 16th December, to coincide with Local Charities Day, we released our second annual Local Charity and Community Group Sustainability Report. Using data from a survey of 598 local charity representatives carried out of the summer, this report provides a fascinating insight into the state of the local voluntary sector as we approach 2017. The last year has seen a continued escalation in demand for the services of local charities. Coupled with ongoing volatility in the funding landscape, this has left many groups fearful for their long term survival. The report finds that: Just 46% of local charities are confident they will be able to sustain themselves over the next five years. 67% of groups were still predicting stagnation or a downturn in their financial position over the coming year. 78% of groups predict an increase in demand over the coming year, of these groups just 18% feel that they are sufficiently resourced to meet this demand. Reductions in staff numbers pose a serious problem, impacting on the continuity of services and affecting overall skill levels. 76% of respondents had seen a reduction of staff over the last year. 60% of respondents know of one or more local groups that have been forced to close in the last year. 77% of charities do not believe that they have the skills to run a successful fundraising campaign. Download the Full Report Here We conclude our report by laying out a number of recommendations for the coming year and beyond. We are particularly concerned about the urgent need to bring sustainable funding sources in the sector and to address the continued overreliance on under or unskilled staff. We hope that the results of this report will not only inform our own work over the coming year but also inspire other stakeholders in government, business and civil society to tackle the challenges facing the local voluntary sector.5247 Posted by Lewis Garland
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The local voluntary sector consists of thousands of groups with widely varying causes, missions and activities. Local Charities day, taking place on December 16th, will celebrate these amazing groups and draw attention to some of the challenges they are facing. In this blog we look at what makes the UK’s local voluntary sector so unique and valuable - exploring the characteristics they share and the vital, yet too often overlooked, services that they provide to their communities. In 2015 we produced our first Local charity and community group sustainability Report. In this report we identified a number of characteristics that make the sector so special. 1) Knowledge of local needs Many Local charities are formed as a direct result of a specific local need or cause; be it saving a community centre, conserving a local place of interest etc. These causes rarely fall into the remit of larger national or international charities as therefore, without these charities such issues would often go unaddressed entirely. A good example of this charity type is Downham Market & District Heritage Society - a group that exists to conserve and display objects, photographs and documents relating to Downham Market and the surrounding village Other local charities address wider societal issues (homelessness, disability advice, refugee support, LGBTQ issues). These groups have a strong crossover with the work of well know national charities and groups. However, in most cases this crossover is complementary. While more heavily resourced national or international groups excel at wide scale campaigning, infrastructural support etc, the value of grassroots groups lies in their acute knowledge of how these wider issues play out at a local level and how they are best addressed. HERe NI work to combat social exclusion and discrimination among the LGBT+ community in Northern Ireland. Their acute knowledge of the specific issues facing LGBT+ women in Northern Ireland enable them to provide personalised support and bespoke awarenss raising. 2) Strong Trusting Relationships As well as understanding the needs of their community, the fact that local groups are often deeply embeddedness in their local community enables them to foster strong trusting relationships with their beneficiaries. The value of these relationships, though difficult to quantify, cannot be underestimated. One clear benefit to these close relationships is that it enables these groups to access harder to reach parts of their community. Another advantage is that people often feel a strong attachment, even sense of ownership over local groups. Many local charities are not simply service providers but a key element of the fabric and character of their communities. These informal community bonds would be impossible to replicate. However, the difference they make to the quality of service provided by groups and the resulting benefit to their service users can be huge. 3) Flexibility and reaction time Local charities and small charities should not be treated as synonymous – for example many hospices have a local or regional remit but have medium to large turnover. However, given that 95% of local charities have an annual income of under £1 Million there is a strong crossover. One of the benefits of being small is that these groups are often far less bureaucratic and, as a consequence, more flexible and able to react quickly. When coupled with local charities’ acute knowledge or their local demographics and resources, this often means that local groups are able to provide support quicker, more targeted support than larger, national counterparts. One example is the Community Foundation for Calderdale’s Boxing Day 2015 Flood appeal. On Boxing Day 2016 Storm Eva caused the River Calder to burst it's banks devastating businesses and homes across Calderdale. CFFC Immediately responded – launching a fundraising appeal that received national attention. Of course, there are numerous other reasons why the local voluntary sector is so valuable. This is a sector that continues to amaze us with its resourcefulness, passion and innovation. On Local Charities Day (16th December) make it your mission to find a charity near you and see what you can do to support their cause. Also keep your eyes open for our 2016 Local Charity and Community Report released on the day. Found this blog post useful? You may also like: The Power of Storytelling: Six Top Tips by Mike Zywina Storytelling Tips for Charities by Becky Slack 5 free tools to share your organisation's story by Nisha Kotecha4118 Posted by Lewis Garland
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Your charity does amazing things. You know this, we know this – but do your potential donors or volunteers know this? While it is true that we live in an increasingly visual world, it is important not to underestimate the enduring power of persuasive writing. It (literally) pays to spend time on crafting your copy. Your browser does not support the video tag. In this blog I give six essential copywriting tips to help you raise awareness and bring in funding for your cause. Know your audience Before you put digit to key, the most important question should always be ‘who am I writing for and why?’ We all care about different causes. In most cases our interests are dictated by our characteristics and life experiences. Think carefully about what demographic you are writing for and how best to engage, gain the trust and motivate this audience. Harness the power of human stories Mastering the art of emotional engagement is vital for any copywriter, none more so than for those of us working with and for charities. One of the most effective ways to do this is through focussing on human stories. Try to find a simple, memorable story that encapsulates the work that your organisation does and the impact it makes (to a charity marketer this should be the holy grail). Whenever possible, try to include direct quotes from your beneficiaries or clients. This not only makes your copy more emotionally engaging but also helps to build trust with your audience. Choose your stats wisely While an excessive use of numbers may be a turn-off, carefully chosen and positioned statistics can both hook readers in and motivate them to act. Statistics can be used both to show your charity fully understands an issue and to succinctly convey the impact of your own work. Keep it simple When we are passionate about a cause, it is tempting to tell people everything about the need for our work and the impact we make. Equally, for lovers of words, it may be frustrating to be told to tone down your language. However, with attention getting shorter, complex arguments and florid prose are better kept for elsewhere. Ask yourself what your reader really needs to know and be ruthless with the rest. Spend time on your subject line We’ve all done it. Worked for hours honing our perfect piece of copy and then quickly cobbled together a subject line or title. However, as the tabloids have proven year on year out, a bold, controversial or catchy headline can make a huge difference. Infact, this is why professional headline writers exist! A good starting point when writing title or headline is to follow the ‘4 R’s’: Urgent, Unique, Useful, and Ultra-specific. Time and tailor your ask Think of each paragraph you write as part of your reader’s journey, a journey that leads to your call to action. Charities too often describe their groups’ activities and then tag on a quick, loosely related call-to-action at the end. If we want people to donate, volunteer their time, or share our message, you need to consider when the most effective time will be to ask for their support (i.e. at what point your reader will be most motivated to act). Sometimes, this may be at the start to instill a sense of urgency; other times it will come towards the end after having made a robust argument for your cause. And remember, the call-to-action itself should be as simple, persuasive and specific as possible. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Writing great copy will always be as much about magic as maths. However, following these six tips will go a long way to helping you attract the supporters, donors or fundraisers you need! Was this blog helpful? Why not check out the following blogs too: 5 of the best free design tools to help your charity shine 3 Charities To Have On Your Radar For Social Media Inspiration3781 Posted by Lewis Garland
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It is impossible not to be moved by the tragic scenes taking place in the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe – the crammed trains and boats, hauntingly reminiscent of our not-too-distant history. Images of desperate people, making treacherous journeys to escape war-torn regions. Many of us want to do our bit in this time of great human need. However, we can’t all be handing out provisions in Budapest, Kos or Calais. So, how then can we help? There are many larger charities, national and international, that have a proven track record in supporting refugees - UNHCR, Refugee Action and the British Red Cross to name a few. These organisations provide exceptional emergency support and advocacy. However, much of the long term support required by asylum seekers and refugees is provided by small, locally-based community groups and solidarity organisations. Once in the UK, refugees and asylum seekers face multiple, complex issues – be it trauma, exploitation or social isolation. These grassroots organisations provide the essential support needed to empower refugees and enable them to fully integrate and flourish. Support local groups As a member organisation for local charities and community groups, Localgiving is proud to work with many of these amazing groups from across the country. To highlight just a few: RETAS provide education and training to refugees and asylum seekers in West Yorkshire to help them rebuild their lives in the UK Embrace, based in Stoke-on-Trent, provide a drop-in service for female asylum seekers and their children across Staffordshire who are experiencing hardship and social isolation NNRF work with and for refugees and asylum seekers across Nottinghamshire, offering practical advice, information, support and friendship CLEAR provide advice and education to both settled and developing refugee communities in Southampton Slough Immigration Aid Unit empower people by ensuring they know, and can access their legal rights under immigration law Ourmala support refugee and asylum-seeking women living in London to find strength and hope through yoga These groups all rely on their local communities – for both volunteering and financial support. To find out more about how you can get involved with groups supporting refugees and asylum seekers in your area, you can search for relevant charities here. You don’t have to be in Calais to play your part sometimes the biggest difference you can make, even in times of international crises, is on your own doorstep. Update (07/09/15): A huge thank you to everyone who has donated or offered support to any of the charities above so far. I am just updating this blog to let you know about a new member of Localgiving, The Bike Project. This group receive donations of second-hand bikes, fix them up at their community workshops, and donate them to refugees and asylum seekers in London.3691 Posted by Lewis Garland
Wise Words from Alistair Sill: Local Hero Champion 2016
Every year our Local Hero campaign shines a spotlight on the incredible work of individual fundraisers. This campaign sees fundraisers competing over a month to top our Local Hero leader board.
2016 saw a nail-biting race to the finish line, with fundraisers changing positions right until the last minute. Our eventual champion, Alastair Sill, secured an incredible 317 unique funders, raising over £4000 for Taking Flight Theatre Company - plus a further £1000 in prize money.
We recently had a chat with Alistair to discuss what inspired him to take part in Local Hero, to find out what his greatest challenges were during the month and to gather some tips for those interested in participating in this year’s campaign.
How did you hear about the Local Hero campaign and why did you choose to support Taking Flight Theatre Company?
“The theatre company had heard about the Local Hero campaign and told me about it as it coincided with plans I had already been making to fundraise for them”
“I have worked with them for 6 years now as an audio describer. I recognise how hard they are trying to make their work accessible to a wide audience and the difficulties they face”
How did you decide upon your challenge?
“I enjoy cycling and wanted to do a cycling challenge anyway. My decision to ride from the East to the west of Wales matched the tour route the theatre company were taking.”
“Throughout the ride I stopped off in places they were performing to explain what the company was doing. The theatre company sent out actors to the schools before I arrived and delivered iambic pentameter workshops. I did some games involving audio description and talked about my role and explained what audio description is"
What training did you do for your challenge?
“I followed a hilly route quite near my house when cycling. There is also a lake quite near where I live that I cycled around. I built up to the challenge, got my stamina up and made sure I had enough supplements.”
What did you enjoy most about participating in, and winning, Local Hero 2016?
“I didn’t expect as many people to get behind it as they did. I wanted to do something to help Taking Flight Theatre Company. I was quite baffled by how many people got into the idea.”
“I got into the friendly competitive edge. You respected everyone who was participating, all of the charities and causes they were raising money for were equally important so you wanted them to do well.”
“The competition got lots of people involved who I hadn’t been in touch with a while. It was a nice surprise when people you hadn’t seen in a while donated. The amount people donated was also a surprise – we had somebody donate £500!”
“It got really close at the end. Beth House, one of the directors of the company got really involved. I could see emails coming through saying “we need 7 more sponsors and then we’ve done it, we’ve only got 10 minute left”. I tweeted a lot about what I was doing and put updates on Facebook too."
“The fact it was so tight created a great atmosphere and built up publicity for the company. It also engendered excitement for the tour before it had even begun.”
Do you know how the money raised during Local Hero was spent ?
“Taking Flight are about putting on accessible performances with artistic and creative integrity. The signers for example are characters in the play. There was a deaf actor playing the role of Juliet and the audio description was integrated into the performance. All of these things push the boundaries.”
“These things take time to work in during rehearsals. The money raised from Localhero was spent on creating even more accessible performance so that people can go to watch the shows who wouldn’t ordinarily think about going to watch a live performance - to ensure nobody is isolated or segregated in any.”
What advice would you give to people interested in participating in Local Hero 2017?
- Pick something you are going to enjoy doing that can engender an appetite among the public. The more you enjoy the prospect of doing the challenge yourself the more you will be able to sell that idea to other people. Make sure you do something you can really throw yourself into and have a good time while you’re doing it – you may not do something like it again
- Ensure you have people around you who are supportive and as into the idea as you are. You’ve got to think about the challenge you are doing and so you’ve got to get other people to help with getting the message out. It’s very difficult to do the campaigning and do the challenge yourself – although its important to play a part in that.
- Don’t be afraid of getting in touch with as many people you can. You’ll be surprised how many people will support you.
- Enjoy the competition - the Localgiving website is really easy to use and you can view your growing sponsors . And the fact that the winners get an extra £1000 on top of what they raise is a really great incentive.
Found this blog post useful? You may also like:
Local Charity and Community Group Sustainability Report 2016
Big Strong Heart: Tips for your Charity Challenge
What Makes Local Charities Unique?
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By Joe Burns Thanks to generous funding from the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, Localgiving has been running a Regional Development Programme in the North West of England which has been supporting local charities who are engaged in projects which benefit the environment, or help people to engage with the natural world. Eligible charities have received a free membership to Localgiving, ongoing one-to-one support in their online fundraising activities, and up to £500 of the money they raise online is matched through funding provided by the People’s Postcode Lottery and their players. This #GivingTuesday (Tuesday 29th November) we’re highlighting some of the fantastic projects and charities who have benefited from the generosity of the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, without whom none of the below would have been possible. Ruth Hannah, Gorgeous Gorse Hill Gorgeous Gorse Hill is a small community group in Greater Manchester. We’re made up of local residents, who got together to improve our local area through the use of art, planting and flowers. We believe that positive changes to a local area can benefit the health and wellbeing of local people, by making residents feel more connected to their area, more empowered, and that by making positive changes, we can help reduce negative behaviour. Being able to fundraise online, and the match funding that’s been available, have been very useful for our group, and has helped in a number of ways. It’s freed up time for volunteers who would usually try to raise funds through completing grant applications, which can be time consuming, and it has also freed up our use of funds, as a lot of grant applications won't allow charities to funds for core costs, which for us is vital i.e. insurance, or the cost of shed rental. Even hot drinks on a cold winter day during a full day of planting can sometimes not be covered. With our unrestricted income from Localgiving and matched funds from the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, we no longer need to worry as much about covering these costs. This has allowed us to focus on what we really want to focus on – making Gorse Hill Gorgeous! The wider support offered from Localgiving has been great. Joe’s suggestions about ways to fundraise have opened our eyes and the amount we have raised and then had match funded has been incredible. Anita Morris, Hack Back Hack Back CIC is a small social enterprise that aims to improve the mental health and well-being of people of all ages throughout the North West. What makes us different is that we combine psychological therapies with interaction and engagement with nature, and specifically with Birds of Prey. Taking part in the programme has enabled us to raise funds by reaching a much wider audience. We have been able to use social media to inform people about our fundraising and the ease of the process has meant that we have been successful in raising funds. In addition supporters were able to set up their own fundraising page to personalise their support for Hack Back. We have learned that it is important to get your message across succinctly through social media and that it must be easy for people to donate, which was achieved through Localgiving. The funding, both from our donors and then matched by the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, has made a massive difference to us. We have been able to deliver one to one sessions in the home of a child with autism, we have visited a terminally ill lady in her own home, we have been able to visit a young boy with a rare form of bone cancer several times and we have been able to deliver an anti-bullying project in a local school. Without this funding all of this would have been very difficult to achieve, and the real difference the funding from players of the People’s Postcode Lottery has made is that it has enabled us to deliver projects and services we may have had to decline previously, even though there is a clear need. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These are just two examples among many of the fantastic work done by local charities which the generosity of the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery has helped. This #GivingTuesday, we thought it would be a good time to look back, and to reflect on the real difference this support has helped to make, and to also take the time to say thank you as well. So this one goes out to all the players (of the People’s Postcode Lottery) out there – THANKS! There’s still opportunities to get involved in this programme, so if you are or know of a charity who could benefit, please do look here for further information.Nov 28, 2016 0 -
Cleveland Pools is the only surviving Georgian Swimming Pool in the UK. Sadly the pools have been closed for swimming for over quarter of a century. However there is now an appeal being run through Localgiving to rejuvenate and reopen this forgotten landmark. This appeal, led by local resident Suzy Granger, has really caught the imagination of the local community. On the week commencing 6th February, 8 local swim schools and approximately 700 children will be participating in a swimathon to raise money for the campaign. We spoke to Suzy in advance of the big swim to find out what inspired the campaign, what makes Cleveland Pools so important and how supporters can get involved with the campaign. What makes Cleveland Pools special and how will this campaign benefit the local community? “The Cleveland Pools is the only surviving Georgian swimming pool in the UK. Closed for swimming in 1984, a trust was formed in 2005 by local campaigners to save the 200 year old site with it crescent-shaped cottage and changing cubicles. Situated on the banks of the river Avon it is a peaceful and beautiful location to enjoy an outdoor swimming experience. It will be the only public outdoor swimming pool in Bath so will be a great asset to the local community in the summer months, especially as it will be naturally heated and treated for the first time in its history. Outdoor swimming has had a revival in recent years and it will be a great opportunity for Bath to have such an offering for its local community.” Tell us about the challenge? “I thought it would be great to get the swimming community in Bath involved in raising money for Cleveland Pools. I have organised sponsored swims before at my swim school, Bath School of Swimming. However I have never organised a sponsored swim of this scale with so many swim schools involved. To my knowledge this is the first time the whole swimming community in Bath have come together to raise money collectively.” What are you enjoying and looking forward to about running this appeal? “Lots of people have heard about the Cleveland Pools but don’t know where they are in Bath and know little of their history. This is an opportunity to raise awareness of the pools with the swimming community. I am also looking forward to witnessing the swimming community coming together and collectively raising money for such a great cause.” How can people get involved with the appeal? If you would like to make a donation to support the Swimathon then please go here. If any local companies want to match fund what the swimmers raise we would be really grateful and they should get in touch with suzy@clevelandpools.org.uk. Likewise get in touch with Suzy if you would like your swim school to take part. Found this blog post useful? You may also like: Local Charity and Community Group Sustainability Report 2016 3 Top Tips On Creating Great Social Media Content For Charities Big Strong Heart: Tips for your Charity ChallengeJan 24, 2017 0
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By Lauren Swain In July, thanks to generous funding and support from Big Lottery Wales, we launched our new Development Programme for Wales. Through the programme, Localgiving will work with 250 local community groups across Wales. It is an entirely free opportunity and includes free Localgiving membership for a year, gift aid claimed on each group’s behalf, free training in online fundraising, 1:1 support from a locally based member of staff, £200 matchfunding for every group that signs up and further matchfunding campaigns throughout the year. We now have the pleasure of working with groups across Wales... One of the groups that has already made a great start is Friends of the City of Swansea Botanical Gardens. They are run by a large group of volunteers who are working to develop 3 public parks in Swansea. As part of their work, they are creating a Wildflower/Wellbeing Garden in Singleton Park - to achieve this they need funds. Localgiving has been working with them to create both their group’s main fundraising page and a specific appeal for their wildflower project. They began this appeal at the start of October and have already raised £2780.75, which includes the £200 matchfunding that they have now earned as a successful participant in the Wales Development Programme. It also includes £271.25 gift aid that we have accessed and processed for them with no worry or admin time needed from them. Furthermore, during our Grow Your Tenner campaign they have unlocked a further £370 matchfunding. How it works... After they expressed their interest in working with Localgiving, I went out to meet the group face-to-face at their base in one of the parks. I worked through all of the basics of how to set up with Localgiving and how to get started with developing and promoting their cause. Since that point we have had much communication, they have attended a training session, Introduction to Online Fundraising, and are soon to attend a second session on Developing an Online Fundraising Campaign. This is the typical journey of a Wales group once they show interest in our year of free help. Hear from the group itself... Jane Terrett, volunteer: “One of the huge advantages of being associated with Localgiving is that you never feel you are on your own, there is always someone or somewhere you can go for help. Online fundraising enables us to reach people who are sympathetic to our cause who we didn’t even know existed. The online tips, advice and poster templates are invaluable. Donations are automatically paid into the bank account and the admin surrounding gift aid is taken care of. Fundraising isn’t easy and you do need to put in the work setting up the site and getting the message across to the local community so they know about your page. As an organisation, we weren’t sure whether online fundraising was to way to go as most of our supporters are 70+. However the publicity surrounding the webpage has resulted in many online donations - and also gifts of cash and cheques that we wouldn’t have secured without the online campaign. We are delighted with the progress, but checking the website is getting addictive!” Have a look at their brilliant appeal: localgiving.org/appeal/wildflowersNov 01, 2016 0 -
By Steph Heyden Supporters of Bath Abbey have a huge task ahead. They are currently trying to raise £4.5 million for their Footprint project, a development programme to repair Bath Abbey's collapsing floor, install an Eco-friendly heating system using Bath's hot springs and create additional space and improved facilities for the half a million people who use the Abbey every year. One fundraising activity that took place was a 140 mile walk from Bath Abbey to Lambeth Palace, The Footprint Walk. The team set off on Sunday the 5th July and arrived in London 6 days later. Katie McGill, Development Officer from Bath Abbey explained that the #LocalHero campaign came at the right time to help promote their sponsored walk. "#LocalHero seemed like a great way to encourage people to support the walk. It was nice that it didn’t matter how much people gave, just that the more supporters, the better chance we had of winning one of the prizes on offer. It was also perfect timing as the walk was due to start five days after the end of the #Localhero campaign. We had a rush of donations in the last days of the #Localhero competition as people really wanted their donation to count towards our score. It was very exciting to keep checking where we were on the leaderboard, wondering if we would make it into the top 5! It was also inspiring to see all the other brilliant fundraisers raising money for charities all across the country too." Strolling into 2nd Place The team, including the Rector, Edward Mason, Footprint Project Director Charles Curnock, Footprint Appeal Director Laura Brown & Churchwarden Emeritus Jeremy Key-Pugh managed to receive 103 points in the #LocalHero campaign landing them in 2nd place and winning them a £500 prize. Currently, the team have raised over triple their original target and the total currently stands at £16,537.75, including offline donations, Gift Aid and their prize money. What's the secret to their success? Local support! "We’ve been spreading the word about the walk on our website, chatting to people about it on Twitter and Facebook using our hashtag #footprintwalk and via local media. The team of walkers were interviewed on BBC Radio Bristol, appeared in the local paper (twice!), in local magazines and blogs. We’ve also had lots of encouragement from local businesses, and the walkers friends, family and colleagues." See the team's fundraising page here or find out more about The Footprint Project.Jul 29, 2015 0
