‘Stop changing the goal posts’

‘Leading in Uncertainty’ is a series of briefings for trusts and foundations, to help them better understand the challenges and realities facing charity leaders.

In this briefing ‘Stop changing the goal posts’ we share some key concerns identified and charities’ ideas on how funders can most helpfully respond.

These briefings present key themes from facilitated conversations between senior leaders of UK charities. Sessions are held under the Chatham House Rule, enabling participants to speak openly and candidly about their experiences. The resulting briefings offer valuable insights for funders into the real-world, day-to-day challenges of running voluntary sector organisations, and offer perspectives on what funders can do – or stop doing – to support them more effectively.

We set up ‘Leading in Uncertainty’ at the beginning of the Covid pandemic in April 2020. At that time of acute crisis, we sought to provide a ‘safe space’ to pause and reflect for leaders of organisations supporting some of society’s most vulnerable people. In the years since, more than 680 charity leaders have taken part from across the UK, sharing their experiences and providing mutual support through the pandemic and its aftershocks.

This briefing draws on sessions with 28 charity leaders at the start of 2024. This is what they told us.