Public Affairs Blog

How charities and civil society can contribute to the UK’s recovery

The Law Family Commission on Civil Society has published its final report Unleashing the power of civil society. Chaired by former Cabinet Secretary Lord Gus O’Donnell, the Commission has proposed a range of policy recommendations and initiatives aimed at unleashing the full potential of the charity sector over the next decade.

Can we do better for donors who want to give to good causes abroad?

The series of earthquakes in Turkey and Syria has brought a lot of suffering to people living in the region, many of whom were already devastated by years of conflict in Syria. CAF is supporting the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal to deliver much-needed humanitarian aid. 

Key challenges and opportunities facing the charity sector

Like many organisations across the country, CAF is considering how the cost-of-living crisis is affecting the environment we operate in, and the impacts of a potential recession. Civil society in the UK is vast and includes a myriad of organisations and groups but there are common challenges and themes.

How can charities effectively manage properties to further their mission?

Leading property advice charity, the Ethical Property Foundation, has launched the Weston Property Manual. This free-to-use resource is divided into twelve sections, covering topics such as trustees roles and responsibilities, planning your project delivery, and everyday property management issues such as energy use and conservation.

Charity reserves are in focus more than ever – what have we learned?

Thee cost-of-living crisis and gloomy economic outlook are testing the operational endurance of charities, their adaptability, and financial resilience. The current inflationary environment is increasing costs, eroding donations, and increasing the number of people who rely on their services. The Bank of England is now expecting a prolonged recession – which likely means that the high levels of demand many charities are seeing will continue.

Why the aid budget should be restored to 0.7%

Those working in international development and their supporters will be looking at the Autumn Statement next week for an indication that the Government intends to increase foreign aid in the near future. Returning to the original goal of keeping spending at 0.7% of Gross National Income seems to become increasingly long-term goal, given the current economic climate and additional pressures on the public purse. 

Has the pandemic put a dent in charities' political engagement?

Charities play a central role in the public debate and enable supporters to advocate for wider policy change. However findings from the recently published UK Giving Report, which looks at donor behaviour, indicate that levels of political engagement declined in 2021. In this blog we dig into key factors behind this drop.