Chart 1: Challenges charities had faced over the previous two years

Challenges	% of respondents
Maintaining sustainable flow of income/funding	54
Recruitment/retention of staff/volunteers	32
Rising costs	28
Promoting the charity	22
Complying with regulation/legislation	20
Meeting growing demand for our services	17
Operational issues	10
Managing organisational growth	9
Other	5
No challenges	20
Not answered	3

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Chart 2: Type of collaboration charities were engaged in

Type of collaboration	% of respondents
No collaboration	54
Sharing information/ideas (informal)	27
Joint fundraising activities/events	15
Sharing other equipment	11
Sharing workspace, facilities and/or land	10
Joint services to charity beneficiaries	10
Joint training events for staff	7
Joint campaigning	6
Sharing back office functions	5
Consortium/joint funding applications	5
Sharing staff	4
Negotiations to ensure non duplication	4
Buying something together	4
Sharing information/ideas (formal)	3
Sharing vehicle(s)	2
Consortium/joint bidding for contracts	2
Any other type of joint project	8
Other	3
Not answered	1

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Chart 3: Proportions of charities which had collaborated, by income

Annual income (£)	% of respondents collaborating
100-250k	75
25-100K	55
10-25K	46
5-10K	42
0-5K	34

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Chart 4: How contact was initially made with their collaborative partner(s)

How contact was made	% of respondents
We have a history of working together	60
Looked ourselves/approached another charity	26
Another charity approached us	21
A broker/intermediary approached us	2
Approached a charity using a broker/intermediary	1
Don't know	4
Not answered	8

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Chart 5: Factors which prompted a charity to collaborate

Prompts	% of respondents
Other charity has similar aims/activities	44
Other charity is in same geographic area	34
Wanted to help another charity	30
Improve services and/or reduce duplication	27
Access additional skills/knowledge	24
Wanted to deliver services in a more holistic, integrated way	23
Improve efficiency/reduce costs	21
Access additional facilities/equipment	18
Another charity wanted to help us	18
Develop/sustain income streams	18
Increase impact of our campaigns/activities	15
Lack of funding to deliver service(s)/projects alone	12
New project required new way of working	8
Meet requirements of funding/commissioning bodies	8
Sharing of information	1
Others	8
Don't know	3
Not answered	7

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Chart 6: The benefits obtained from charities’ collaborative activity

	% of respondents
Benefits	Benefits	Main benefit(s)
Services maintained/developed/improved	43	20
Enhanced reputation/public support	39	13
Increased number of beneficiaries reached	31	12
Accessed new skills/expertise/information	29	10
Greater impact by working with other charities	27	10
More coordinated approach	25	7
Reduced costs/saved money	28	12
Increased access to funding opportunities	21	10
More holistic service/offering	18	5
Avoided duplication of service	17	4
Improved staff/volunteer recruitment or retention	12	2
Allowed charity to focus on core activity	12	4
Other	3	-
Don't know	3	-
No benefits	1	-
Not answered	12	-

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Chart 7: Reasons for not collaborating

Reasons for not collaborating	% of respondents
No need to collaborate with others/not convinced of benefits	46
No appropriate charity partners	34
Never been approached by another charity or charities	30
Never thought about collaboration	21
Lack of knowledge, time and/or resources	13
Lack of support from within the organisation	3
Perceived risks to the charity	2
Grant giving charity	1
Too small	1
Scheme specificity	1
Previous collaboration unsuccessful	1
Others	10
Not applicable	1
Not answered	4

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Chart 8: Reasons for collaborative activity not going ahead

Reasons for collaboration not going ahead	% of respondents
Lack of resources, eg time/funding/expertise	39
Leadership, planning and/or communication difficulties	31
Differences in culture/ways of working/personality clashes	21
Benefits not worth the overall effort or cost	17
Differences in charity aims and/or beneficiaries	17
Loss of independence/control	16
Lack of support/involvement from board of trustees	14
Negative impacts on my charity	9
Legal complications	9
Lack of interest from other charities	3
Not the right time	2
Others	8
Don't know	2
Not answered	16

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Chart 9: Difficulties experienced by charities during collaboration

	% of respondents
Difficulties	Difficulties	Main difficulty
Lack of resources such as time, funding and/or expertise	16	10
Differences in individual personalities/culture/ways of working	16	8
Leadership, planning and/or communication difficulties	11	4
Loss of independence/control	6	2
Differences in charity aims and/or beneficiaries	5	2
Lack of support/involvement from the board of trustees	4	1
Legal complications	4	2
Negative impacts on the charity	1	-
Others	2	1
Don't know	2	-
No difficulties	54	-
Not answered	10	-

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Chart 10: Steps taken to prevent or overcome difficulties

Steps taken to prevent/overcome difficulties	% of respondents
Board discussions on venture	27
Monitored/evaluated collaborative activity	23
Contacted support/umbrella organisations for advice/guidance	21
Set up clear plans/agreements/responsibilities in writing	19
Networked with other collaborating charities	17
Sought funding to support collaborative activity	16
Took part in relationship-building exercises/events with partner charitie(s)	12
Attended training/workshops about collaboration	9
Used an intermediary or consultant to help	8
Downloaded resources such as toolkits/checklists/case studies	6
Others	6
Don't know	2
Did NOT take any steps	19
Not answered	3

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Chart 11: Extent of perceived success or non-success of charities’ collaborative experiences over the previous two years

	% of respondents
Very successful	29
Quite successful	53
Not very successful	5
Not at all successful	6
Don't know	7
Not answered	-

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Chart 12a: Main factors perceived to have contributed to the success of collaborative activities

Success factors	% of respondents
Quality of pre-existing relationship with partner charity	55
Degree of compatibility of organisational aims, values and mission	52
Quality of leadership, planning and/or communication	35
Level of support from the board of trustees	22
Extent of access to sufficient resources	13
Level of support and involvement from funding bodies/commissioners	10
Others	7
Not answered	5

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Chart 12b: Main factors perceived to have contributed to the lack of success of collaborative activities

Factors contributing to lack of success	% of respondents
Quality of leadership, planning and/or communication	29
Quality of pre-existing relationship with partner charity	21
Degree of compatibility of organisational aims, values and mission	19
Extent of access to sufficient resources	18
Level of support and involvement from funding bodies/commissioners	17
Level of support from the board of trustees	10
Others	23
Not answered	9

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Chart 13: Types of information, advice or support sought in relation to collaboration issues

	% of respondents
Information or advice sought	All respondents	Collaborating charities	Non-collaborating charities
Legal and/or regulatory aspects	11	16	7
Lack of funding	7	12	3
Managing organisational change/development	5	10	2
Planning and preparation	5	10	1
Risks involved	4	6	1
Range of different ways of collaborating	4	8	1
How to deal with culture or personality clashes	2	3	-
Other	2	2	2
Don't know	3	4	3
Did NOT seek information/advice/support	67	57	77
Not answered	7	5	9

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Chart 14: Types of organisations from which advice sought

	% of respondents
Type of organisation	Total	Collaborating charities	Non-Collaborating charities
The Charity Commission	31	30	34
Local infrastructure/support organisation	29	36	13
National umbrella and support bodies	26	29	18
Other charity or charities	25	32	7
Local government	24	27	19
Independent consultants/private sector	17	19	10
Regional infrastructure/support organisation	14	16	9
National government organisations/departments	7	7	8
Other	5	4	7
Don't know	1	1	-
Did NOT seek information/advice/support	8	3	19
Not answered	3	1	7

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Chart 15: Future needs in order to enhance, or get started with, collaboration

	% of respondents
Future support needs	All respondents	Collaborating charities	Non-collaborating charities
Information/advice/guidance	28	33	23
Access to funding	25	39	14
Networking opportunities	17	28	8
Education/training/workshops	10	13	6
Tailored consultancy/facilitation	4	7	2
Access to partnership brokerage	4	7	2
More members/volunteers	1	1	-
More time	-	1	-
Others	6	8	5
Don't know	10	13	8
Nothing	-	1	-
Not applicable	-	-	1
None - we are not interested in collaboration	34	10	54
Not answered	6	7	4

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Chart 16: Overall attitudes towards collaboration

	% of respondents
	Strongly agree	Tend to agree	Neither agree nor disagree	Tend to disagree	Strongly disagree	Don't know	Not answered
My charity is supportive of the idea of collaborating with other charities	17	27	25	7	9	8	7
Overall, collaborating makes sense for our charity	9	21	23	13	18	7	9
The rewards that collaboration brings are worth the time and resources invested	8	20	26	9	13	14	9
My charity needs support if it is to effectively collaborate with other charities	7	16	27	16	15	9	10
Our charity sees collaborating with other charities as a way to cope with the economic downturn	5	14	28	16	19	8	9
Collaborating with other charities is a key priority for our charity	5	9	22	19	31	5	9

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