Understanding the Benevolent Sector

Full Findings Report: Introduction

By, Michele Madden, Jennifer Shea, Mhairi
Guild, Jonathan Baker and Clare Huxley
September 2011

Elizabeth Finn Care (EFC) commissioned nfpSynergy to complete a broad and ambitious two-part research project into the state of the benevolent sector, looking at current issues and challenges in the sector, and the potential for sharing resources and strategic partnerships.


The research process comprised a three-phase desk, qualitative and quantitative research programme. The desk-research started in September 2010, the interviews took place in November and December 2010 and the quantitative element from November 2010 to January 2011.

Advocacy, Activism and Funding Contracts

The purpose of refugee agencies is to provide material aid to refugees and asylum seekers, advocate for them, defend their rights and represent their views and interests to the public and the government. Refugees, and asylum seekers in particular, are exceptionally unpopular in the public imagination as a result of a media and political discourse that depicts them as dishonest, opportunistic and a burden on UK society. Therefore, the work of refugee agencies is highly politicised.

How’s Your Relationship With Your Funder?

Funders and donors are sometimes wealthy individuals, often they're big organisations or Trusts. Something useful I learnt a while ago was that we should treat them all similarly in regards to the relationship  we have with them. 

What Happens When the Funding is cut….

Guest Author, Naoko Okumura Msc

Every Saturday, I work voluntarily as an English tutor for United Migrant Workers Education Project (UMWEP). This project offers free ESOL, IT and Art classes to migrant workers.  Although some of them have degrees in their own countries or some have been in London more than 10 years, most of them work here as cleaners or domestic workers due to their limited English knowledge, lack of opportunities to learn English and lack of their understanding of their own rights. Sometimes they encounter exploitations from their employers. So my role is not only to teach English to them, but also to raise their self-confidence and to motivate them to climb the social ladder higher as well as to help them to be able to defend their rights by themselves.

Until two years ago, certified teachers provided classes. However, after the funding was cut, the project found itself extremely challenging to continue. However, due to the high demand from students, who were the most affected ones, the project reopened by introducing the Alternative Education Model (ATM). 

A Means to a Means to an End!

Fundraising is a means to an end: us charities spend a large amount of time fundraising, but ultimately we exist to deliver projects and/or services that benefit society. We fundraise so we can begin doing what we are set out to do.

The bad news is that there is more work to do even before the fundraising begins: setting up robust internal financial controls is vital for successful fundraising. Efforts should be made to ensure our organisations can effectively administer funds once we secure them. Many funders will also want to see good internal financial controls are in place.

An Emotive Story With Structure

Back in 1999 (when online fundraising resources were still the stuff of Sci-Fi), I attended my first ever fundraising training workshop, facilitated by Claire Standring- Development Officer at the Migrant & Refugee Communities Forum (MRCF) in Ladbroke Grove. 

As the Project Coordinator of a local grassroots community group, I had done a bit of fundraising here and there (with little success), but the one day course would transform my fundraising approach and, without exaggeration, my whole life. I learnt one fundamental thing that day: however amazing my project ideas were, I had to convey an emotive story that was structured.

Migrant & BME Experiences of Fundraising

A great place to start: it would be good to share our experiences of fundraising. What has worked well, what hasn't? What are the main barriers to your fundraising?...


Rachid choaibi, Bsc MinstF Cert