Examples of charity analysis

Attracting interest in an unpopular issue: Lucy Faithfull Foundation*

Set up in 1992, Lucy Faithfull Foundation tackles child abuse from a different angle than usual. Instead of primarily working with children and parents, it works with abusers, or those at risk of abusing, providing specialist treatment to change their behaviour. It also supports non-abusing partners and parents; runs a campaign and helpline for people worried about their own or someone else’s behaviour, among other services; and has volunteer groups which monitor sex offenders on probation, among other activities.

Charities tackling unpopular issues can struggle to win public support and often have to overcome public disapproval of their work. Although dealing with important social problems, the stigma attached to the issue often means these charities remain small because they cannot get the backing and funding to grow.

The Lucy Faithfull Foundation, unlike other charities working in the field of child abuse—which typically work with victims—does not receive a lot of donations. Despite being a large charity, less than 1% of its income comes in donations, leaving it reliant on statutory contracts and grant-making trusts for funding. Even when projects have been proved to be successful they have sometimes been forced to close due to negative reactions from the public. For example, despite two studies into residential treatment programmes for offenders giving positive messages about post-treatment change and reconviction rates, the Lucy Faithfull Foundation lost the lease for the premises after protests from local residents.

* NPC advised Lucy Faithfull Foundation in 2008. See our conflict of interest policy.

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