Views on some of the national drivers that charities in Cambridgeshire need to think about

These are some of the areas charities will need to consider as they navigate the future. They may find their way onto risk register, influence strategic planning, or shape what you provide and who you provide it to. They may even be part of what is keeping your CEO up at night – and they should be on everybody’s radar.

Money will be an issue

It is becoming harder to bring money in and harder to stop it going out!

More people are applying for grants, seeking support and pursuing donations. As a result, meeting fundraising targets is increasingly challenging. This means organisations need to be more focused in their ask and able to clearly demonstrate real, tangible impact. There are no quick wins in fundraising, but organisations should aim to develop the most diverse income streams possible.

Costs are rising for organisation as for individuals too. Usually, often multi- year funding will not recognise the increased costs and it can mean a real time reduction in funding that has to be up from elsewhere. It is important that organisations organise their budget will and when writing for bids they reflect how things will change over time.

Demand does not appear to be decreasing

Household cost-of-living stress results in higher demand for debt advice, food support, mental health, domestic abuse, and housing-related services.

The strain in health and care system is putting pressure on NHS and adult social care, the shifting in more demand to voluntary services, often without matching funding.

Rural and transport barriers is a key issue in parts of Cambridgeshire, connectivity and transport costs can increase service access challenges and delivery costs.

These, and many other issues, mean that demand for services across the sector is unlikely to decrease over the next three years. In response, organisations need to consider how they will meet this demand – whether they have the capacity to do so, or whether it is time to rethink what they offer.

Our people are key

Staff and volunteers are what make our organisations, yet we know there are ongoing recruitment and retention challenges. We cannot compete with other sectors on salary  or other benefits, and at the same time we are seeing the rising  levels of burnout at all levels. We need to find ways to ensure roles are both manageable and rewarding.

Volunteering is changing. Many surveys show that volunteer numbers are dropping, and expectations around how people want to volunteer are changing. We need to encourage more people to get involved, which means offering opportunities that reflect what they are looking for. In some cases, this may require us to adapt how we deliver services to clients.

We need to ensure that both staff and volunteers are given the skills they need to deliver in an ever changing world. We need to ensure they have the training but also the equipment they need to deliver safe and effective services.

AI and digital are here to stay

Digital service delivery is becoming the new standard. Applications are online, meeting are virtual and strong IT skills are increasingly essential. Yet many charities fail to make the most of the tools they already have, let alone those they could benefit from. This is often due to a lack of knowledge as well as limited resources.

Organisations need to find ways to stay competitive while still maintaining a personal touch.

AI is here and we need to embrace it in a way that meets our values and delivers an enhanced service. This needs to done with awareness of the risks around bias, privacy, and misinformation.

Digital exclusion is a real issue and is often concentrated in those many organisations are working with. We know beneficiaries lack devices, skills, or connectivity and this leads to inequality.

The policy landscape will continue to evolve

We will always be influenced by changes in policy, but some of the current areas of concern include:

Safeguarding and governance expectations: with increasing demands around policies, training, incident management and board oversight.

Data protection and cyber readiness are also key concerns. Organisations will continue to be judged on how securely they manage data, while facing increasing threats such as phishing, ransomware, and other breaches – both malicious and accidental.

At the same time, recent changes in employment legislation, while welcome in strengthening workers’ rights, are having a significant impact on employers. These include rising costs, such as increases to the minimum wage, as well as the need to meet additional responsibilities and obligations.

Climate and environmental disruptions

Whilst we may not be seeing extreme weather events across the county, we still need to consider the impact of climate change. This may be reflected in rising food costs, changing migration patterns, and less severe but more frequent events such as localised flooding.

Linked to this is the need to understand our own carbon impact. Some elements are more visible, such as energy consumption and travel, but we also need to consider the environmental impact of our IT systems and purchasing choices.

Increasingly, more funders are asking for green policies as part of funding applications. These need to be supported by a clear understanding of where improvements can be made, as well as how we can contribute to helping statutory partners meet their environmental goals.

Is public trust and reputation of concern?

Reports suggest that trust in charities is declining. While this may be less true for smaller, local organisations, any charity can be affected by an incident that undermines confidence. It is therefore important to recognise potential risks and take steps to guard against them.

The nature of social media, the rise of misinformation, and the speed at which information spreads mean that charities need to be prepared to respond quickly in a crisis. They must understand how they would act and ensure that staff, volunteers and clients are protected.

Conclusions

Ultimately it is trustees who bear the burden of ensuring that the charity is safe, that it is managing risks and that it is staying legal. Whilst this may be devolved to the staff team to manage and implement the trustees must be happy that they are doing what has been asked.

It is essential that staff and trustees work together to recognise the external factors that might impact them both locally and nationally. I do recommend the NCVO Road Ahead publication but it is also important to find ways to stay current with what is happening. The Support Cambridgeshire newsletter is a good place to start, sign up on the website.