Funders have been encouraged to do more to help charities in the criminal justice sector, with smaller organisations facing particular funding challenges.
A report, published today by think tank NPC and commissioned by the Lloyds Bank Foundation, analyses funding in the criminal justice sector.
Its research found that almost all statutory funding goes to larger charities, while only 3% of total income goes to criminal justice charities working with specific groups.
“The criminal justice voluntary sector is a vital and diverse ecosystem encompassing everything from large national charities to local community groups,” it says.
“However, securing financial support in this landscape can be a significant challenge.”
Smaller charities facing ‘tangled web’ of funding
The research found that 94% of all statutory funding for the criminal justice sector goes to charities with annual incomes above £2m.
Meanwhile, charities with annual incomes up to £500,000 received less than 2% of statutory funding.
It found that statutory funding accounts for double the share of income for criminal justice charities (57%) compared to the wider voluntary sector (26%).
The research also found that just 3% of total income goes to criminal justice charities working with specific ethnic groups, with just 7% of charities identified “people of a particular ethnic or racial origin” as the beneficiary group they focus on.
“This is in stark contrast to the over-representation of people from minoritised ethnicities within the criminal justice system, suggesting that the funding for charities supporting these people is insufficient,” the report says.
Commenting on the report, Nicole Sykes, director of policy, communication, and research at Lloyds Bank Foundation, said: “Small charities working within the criminal justice system often face a tangled web of government and charitable funding sources.
“Understanding how funders can adapt and evolve to ensure vital charities can effectively access and leverage these resources is essential to delivering life-changing services to those in need.”
The report recommends that more opportunities for flexible and multi-year funding should be provided, in order to reduce application burdens.
It also calls for funders to offer support initiatives to tackle the root causes of people to come into contact with the criminal justice system, in addition to clarifying which activities and initiatives fall under the remit of statutory responsibilities.
Additional recommendations include funders making a commitment to minimum standards of contracting, and exploring pooled funding.
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