The Silent Shift: Why Big Infrastructure Charities have shifted away from Government

Anna Day, MD of Successful Coaching, which coaches charity CEO's, Neurodivergent leaders and provides workforce training and consulting, shares the dynamic shift that has taken place, explores the reasons why- and why this shift is bad.

In recent years, a noticeable shift has occurred among major infrastructure charities: the once loud and impactful voices in government halls have grown silent. These organisations, which previously played pivotal roles in shaping policy and driving legislative changes, have stepped back from the frontlines of advocacy.

A key problem is that once previously influential bodies, who were capable of persuading Government to release emergency funds to the charity sector in a financial downturn...Have been silent. Not only are they noticeably absent from Government conversations, but the resulting income is too-causing ripple effects throughout the charity sector. Major redundancies are taking place in household name charities; no longer buoyed by the good will of the public and Government during Covid. Previous initiatives from infrastructure bodies protected organisations from the cuts; but with many of these infrastructure bodies now dissolved under successive years of Conservative government, what is next for the sector? The ones remaining seem inherently busy covering the work of their predecessors, picking up the slack where other infrastructure organisations left off.

While big infrastructure charities may have stepped back from traditional campaigning and lobbying, they continue to adapt and find new ways to fulfill their missions. By reassessing their strategies and leveraging new tools and approaches, these organisations strive to remain impactful in an ever-changing landscape. However, is it helping them turning downwards to networks and communities instead of resource mobilization in Government?

What has driven this change?

Economic and Political Climate

The evolving economic and political landscape is a significant factor. With governments around the world grappling with financial constraints and political instability, securing funding and support for large-scale infrastructure projects has become increasingly challenging. Charities, facing similar budgetary pressures, often prioritise immediate and tangible outcomes over long-term advocacy efforts that may not yield immediate results.

Strategic Repositioning

Many charities are reassessing their strategies, shifting from broad governmental lobbying to more targeted, community-centric approaches. By focusing on local projects and direct service delivery, these organisations are creating visible impacts in specific areas, building stronger community relationships and ensuring their efforts are directly felt. This tactical pivot allows them to leverage limited resources more effectively, achieving tangible results without the prolonged timelines often associated with legislative change- however, are we cutting off the future pipelines of funding by the demolition of this political influence?

Regulatory and Compliance Pressures

Increasing regulatory and compliance demands have also contributed to this shift. Governments are imposing stricter guidelines on charitable activities, including lobbying efforts. The administrative burden and potential legal ramifications associated with these activities can be daunting. As a result, charities may opt to minimize their lobbying efforts to avoid these complexities and focus instead on activities that align more clearly with their core missions. It doesn't help that MP's have taken to shaming the lobbying activities of charities, or worse still calling out their equality and diversity policies across Daily Mail headlines.

Leadership and Vision Changes

Changes in leadership within these organisations can significantly influence their strategic directions. New leaders may bring different perspectives and priorities, choosing to focus on areas where they believe they can make the most immediate and measurable impact. This can lead to a deprioritization of traditional lobbying efforts in favour of initiatives that offer quicker returns on investment. It's an understandable decision, but again, are we cutting funding off at source by letting the Government off the hook?

Influence of Digital Advocacy

The rise of digital advocacy has also transformed how these organisations engage with stakeholders and influence policy. Social media campaigns, online petitions, and digital grassroots movements offer new ways to drive change without the need for traditional lobbying. These methods can be more cost-effective and have the potential to mobilise broader support more rapidly. The challenge is, is it really as impactful as taking people down to number 10 to be vocal for themselves? Is arm chair warrior'ing' (has it become a verb yet?) the most effective advocacy as we move forward or have we been silenced by the placidity of such initiatives and the lack of agitation?

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