By Nathan Gamester
It has been a little over a year since the CSJ Foundation formally opened its doors. During that time we have worked with hundreds of frontline charities to inform our understanding of the long term causes of poverty and to help shape our policy recommendations to resolve them. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the Centre for Social Justice is its reach way beyond Westminster into the back streets of Britain. Much of our work on the cost-of-living crisis, severe absence from schools, and housing and families has been sharpened by the insight and wisdom of our Charity Alliance which deals with these issues in their communities every day.
Part of the CSJ Foundation’s ambition is to also help these charities financially. The sector is skewed heavily towards the very biggest charities with some 85% of all funding going to just 4% of the largest charities at the top. Put another way, the overwhelming majority of charities (96%), are left to scrap over just 15% of available income. Yet in my experience, many of those small, frontline organisations – often hidden from view – are the ones having the greatest impact.
That is why we set about to find and direct more funding to the best, small frontline charities, to help sustain their activities. To date, I am proud to say that we have directed £1,057,100 in 78 separate donations to 55 frontline charities. The average donation size was £13,500.
The graphic shows a selection of the organisations we have supported. I am truly humbled by their dedication and purpose. And inspired to do more for them and the many other small charities on the frontline of the fight to end the root causes of poverty.
