Atmosphere is tense in the organisation as it is going through a major change process resulting one fouth of its staff’s redundancy. Lot of them has worked for many years and found it hard to believe the position they are in now. While, making a cup of tea in the kitchen, I over heard a discussion between two staff member. One member was telling about the organisation s/he moving on and the other person immediately enquired whether their funding is secured ! I instantly commented ‘there is nothing called secured funding” – both looked at me and nooded head with agreement. This is the third organisation, I involved in that particular point of time facing similar situation, yet peole in each organisation are in the impression that they are in unique position and sometimes consider victim of donors lack of farsightednes. One the way home, while waiting for the tube, I spotted one of my prevsious aquintance. he looked a bit pale and compared to his usual cheerfulness. We were board member in a leading charity in London and he is the CEO of another charity. After, exchnage of usual greetings, I was informed that they are going through unique (in his view) situation i.e making a large portion of their staff redundant. 

This picture is increasingly common in third sector organisations. I started asking myself why, other then the usual response you get “the funding environment is highly competetive”. The fact is that, the arrival of new generation of organisations are challenging the established organisations with traditional way of working. Ovbiously, now donor have more choice to shop around. While third sector organisations do excellent work as perceived by public but I often struggle to get a simple one sentnece response about what they do while enquiring with any specific organisation. In my view if this not availbale then the organisation should definitely face funding crisis. Charities often spread their wing too far just to fetch all the available funds, though not necessarily become successful. This certainly, put them with impossibilty to meet expectations of donors as well as the benefiniaries (if this is the right word). Focuing on what you are good at and existed for is a solid foundation for funding. As someone from a donor agency once told me that if  your are not clear about your organisation then forget any funding, let alone so called secured funding.    

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