Has Taught Me

When I joined TheGivingMachine in 2009, I didn’t expect it to become a 15+ year journey that would take me from part-time administrator to Chief Executive, or shape my perspective on the charity sector as it has.

I’m Luisa, and I’ve worked at TheGivingMachine since 2009.

At the time, the main reason I chose to work there was the flexibility of a home-based role. It allowed me to work around raising my young children, I could do the school runs every day and never missed a sports day or nativity play. I never had to worry about childcare, even during school holidays.

It’s an organisation that offered a genuine work-life balance - and still does.

When I joined TheGivingMachine, the organisation offered an online shopping portal that enabled people to shop online and raise free donations for their chosen cause through retailer referral commissions. I started as a part-time administrator, responsible for adding retailer offers to the website.

Over time, my role evolved, I soon became Retailer Relations Manager, where I managed relationships with over 2,500 retailers, and worked on sales and marketing strategies. Seeing the difference we could make to so many causes was incredibly rewarding.

In 2023, I became Head of Operations, a role I really thrived in. I was fortunate to be part of a fantastic Senior Leadership Team who supported me and helped build my confidence so I could make the role my own.

Earlier this year, I was appointed Chief Executive of the charity. It’s a role I never imagined I would hold, and I am very proud to now lead the organisation and continue creating vital funding opportunities for causes.

After working in the charity sector for a while, I quickly realised I didn’t want to return to the corporate world. Making a difference and feeling proud of the work I do each day became a strong motivation for me and gave me my professional “Why”. 

I felt supported by an organisation that prioritised my wellbeing, it was always family first, work second. From home-based working and flexible hours to the ongoing encouragement and support I received, it was an experience that has been unmatched in the for-profit sector.

The biggest change I’ve noticed over the 15+ years I’ve worked in the charity sector is that, now more than ever, charities are under increasing pressure to secure funding. While the need for funds has always existed, the opportunities to access them have become more challenging.

Although total donation amounts have risen slightly over this period, the number of donors has declined. When inflation is taken into account, this paints a different picture. In real terms, charitable giving is not increasing and, in some cases, is falling.

The number of organisations offering corporate sponsorship has reduced and individual giving has reduced. 65% of people donated in 2019 v 50% in 2024 (ref: DonorCloud), but the needs of charities and the communities they serve has increased and charities are finding it harder to meet those needs. 

Most money flowing to charities goes to a very small number of large organisations. 80% of charities are small (income under £100k) but they collectively account for only around 4% of total spending, whilst 4% of charities are large (over £1m income) and they account for 96% of total spending (ref: NCVO UK Civil Society Almanac)

Another big change is the drop in people volunteering for charities. In 2014 about 27% of adults volunteered monthly but by 2024, this fell to about 16%, the lowest recorded level. (ref: Gov.UK). It is believed that the pandemic accelerated the decline.

The drop in volunteers has meant that charities struggle to recruit volunteers which results in rising costs as they need to replace the volunteer roles with paid roles. We see this a lot with the charities we work with, a big challenge for them is having the time and resources to do everything they need to do to serve their community.

We’ve also seen the impact of becoming a more cashless society. Many smaller charities traditionally relied on in-person fundraising where supporters would give small cash donations. Charities have had to adapt and this change has actually had a positive impact. The digital donations made are often larger than cash donations, but the downside is that engagement can be less spontaneous.

We have also seen the growth in crowdfunding during this time. It is estimated that approximately £800 million is raised annually in the UK through GoFundMe campaigns (ref: Electro IQ). While these funds do not always go directly to charities, a large proportion supports causes traditionally funded by the sector, such as medical expenses, disaster relief, memorial funds, and education costs.

For me, the past 15+ years have been both an exciting journey of discovery and a period of challenge. I’ve seen first-hand the incredible potential we have to create positive change, support communities, and develop innovative ways to make a difference. However, it has also been, at times, a frustrating experience. While there is no shortage of great ideas and ambition within the sector, turning those ideas into reality is not easy and it can be difficult to bring promising initiatives to life.

That gap between what we’d love to achieve and what we’re actually able to deliver has been a big part of my journey in the charity sector.

Working in the charity sector is incredibly rewarding - but it also comes with real challenges.

The sector has evolved. We’ve become more innovative and more determined to find new ways to support our communities. At the same time, the pressures have grown: demand is increasing, while funding is becoming harder to secure.

As a charity that supports other causes to remain sustainable, we face a challenge of our own. Securing funding for our work has never been straightforward.

We’re often unable to apply for grants because we don’t fit neatly into a single sector or geographical area - something most funders require.

That means we have to continuously find alternative ways to raise the funds we need, so we can continue supporting others and remain sustainable ourselves.