20 March, 2014

We read with interest the report published recently by New Philanthropy Capital (NPC): ‘Mind the gap: What the public thinks about charities’.  This was a timely piece of research, given recent criticism of charities by media and politicians.

According to the report, despite a third of people saying their opinion of charities is more positive now than three years ago, there seems to be unease about the way money is spent and in particular the levels of executive pay.  And little understanding of what charities actually do and the difference they make.

Does this surprise you?

It has often been said that unless you have a direct relationship with a charity (as a member of staff, a volunteer or a beneficiary) there’s no way you could possibly understand the way the sector works or recognise its value.

Working for a charity gives you an inside view.  And charity comms teams create the link with external audiences.  Which got us wondering…

If you work in a communications role in a charity, what do you think?  Do you share the views of the public?  Do you have a positive opinion of the sector?  Do you feel uneasy about the way money is spent?  Do you feel confident in the impact your organisation is having?

Complete our quick (anonymous) survey and we’ll share the results here soon.