CharitEpulse: Faith, funds and sector frustrations
In this episode of CharitEpulse, our panel James Saunders, Charles Mesquita and Catherine Rustomji discuss some of the latest developments affecting charities, including changes to ethical investment policies, the barriers smaller charities face in securing public sector contracts, the scrutiny of trustees’ social media activity, and the need for stronger fundraising understanding at board level. Together, they examine what these issues mean for charity leaders and trustees navigating an increasingly challenging landscape.
The trio discuss:
- Church of England investment fund reaches £11.6bn: marking 17 consecutive years of growth. Its Ethical Investment Advisory Group has recently softened its position on defence, allowing investment in certain UK and NATO-related defence companies.
- Larger charities dominate public procurement: research indicates that charities with incomes over £1m (around 5.5% of the sector) secure a significant proportion of contracts, while smaller organisations face barriers due to complexity and cost.
- Trustee social media use under scrutiny: the Charity Commission has had to intervene repeatedly over controversial trustee social media posts; the core tension is whether individuals can separate their personal views from their organisational roles.
- Understanding of fundraising at board level: sector commentary suggests some charity boards may lack familiarity with fundraising dynamics, including the time required to realise returns on investment.
The podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and YouTube.
If you have any questions or feedback for the panel, please contact James directly.
