CharitEpulse: Charities under pressure - policy, governance and commissioning challenges

In this episode of CharitEpulse, the trio discuss:

• Policy and sector support: recent government announcements offered limited detail for the charity sector, with little clarity on social care funding or cost-of-living support, highlighting ongoing questions around sector advocacy.
• Conflicts of interest in focus: updated Charity Commission (CC29) guidance reinforces the importance of robust governance, including clear declaration of interests, appropriate management of conflicts, and awareness of reputational considerations.
• Challenges for small charities: research from the Charity Excellence Framework highlights the pressures facing smaller organisations, alongside the need to recognise their value and explore opportunities to strengthen capacity and resilience.
• Public sector commissioning: concerns remain around complex and resource-intensive bidding processes, short contract cycles, and funding constraints, raising questions about how commissioning can better support sustainable partnerships.  

Listen time: 23 minutes