Small charities risk a crisis because they are too afraid to apply for core costs, the director of funder the Garfield Weston Foundation said today.

Foundation director Philippa Charles said her organisation had found that only a quarter of charities apply for funding for their core costs when they ask for a grant, and that the main reason given was because they were too afraid of being turned down.

Charles was speaking after announcing the winners of the Weston Charity Awards, which give small charities across the north of England and the midlands unrestricted funding and strategic support.
 
“Our job is to support charities to become more resilient and sustainable so that they can do more of their excellent work – that’s why we launched the Weston Charity Awards,” Charles said. “Yet, we were shocked to find that only 25 per cent of charities applying to us over the last five years ask for funding for core costs.

“Supporting the running costs of a charity is crucial if we are to avoid charities experiencing a slow decline.

“Charities tell us they are too afraid to ask for this sort of funding for fear of being turned down.

“Having supported thousands of charities over the last 60 years, we know how important it is that charities feel able to apply for this sort of funding so that they can continue to deliver great services.”