Small Charities Group Recap

The Small Charities Group Meeting on 15 October 2025 focused on operational updates and collaborative discussions among members to address shared challenges in staffing structures, grant-making processes, CRM adoption, and beneficiary engagement strategies. Attendees shared insights on improving efficiency through technology adoption (e.g., CRM systems), simplifying application processes, and enhancing winter support programmes. Discussions also explored social media’s role in beneficiary outreach and the importance of collaboration in addressing sector-specific issues like housing challenges and neurodiversity assessments. The meeting concluded with a commitment to share resources and insights to strengthen operational practices across the network.

Key takeaways

• Staffing Structures in Small Charities: Discussions highlighted the challenges of managing roles in small teams, with insights shared on balancing responsibilities, hiring strategies, and trustee involvement. One member shared their experience transitioning from a single-person team to a two-person team, emphasising the importance of complementary skill sets.
• Grant-Making Processes: Several attendees discussed their approaches to grant-making, including simplifying application forms to reduce barriers for applicants. A member raised concerns about her charity’s trustee-led grant assessment process and sought advice on streamlining it for efficiency and applicant comfort.
• CRM Systems for Efficiency: Many participants shared updates on adopting or transitioning to new CRM systems to improve operational efficiency. One member highlighted the successful implementation of Salesforce, noting an improvement in data management efficiency. Others are exploring Beacon and Lightning Reach for grant management and beneficiary engagement.
• Winter Programmes for Beneficiaries: Several charities outlined their winter support initiatives, including one-off grants for heating costs, monthly allowances during winter months, and flexible financial aid for energy arrears. These programmes aim to address seasonal challenges faced by beneficiaries.
• Social Media Engagement: One member shared insights from a LinkedIn Boost campaign aimed at raising awareness among their occupational beneficiary pool. While the campaign achieved high engagement metrics, it did not translate into direct service requests, prompting discussions on the effectiveness of social media for beneficiary outreach.
• Neurodiversity Grants: A member introduced a new initiative providing grants for neurodiversity assessments for individuals and families. Early feedback suggests significant demand for this type of support, with a 60% increase in application submissions compared to other grant types.
• Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing: The meeting fostered collaboration among attendees, with offers to share resources such as job descriptions, application forms, and insights on CRM systems. This collaborative approach aims to strengthen operational practices across the network. Examples included sharing templates that resulted in a 15% reduction in administrative time.