Introduction
Small voluntary organisations (‘Smalls’) are the backbone of the sector, delivering essential services with deep knowledge, trusted relationship and often lived experience.
While many are rooted in and responsive to specific local communities, others operate nationally or even internationally – all sharing a commitment to impact, adaptability and values-led work.
Despite their significant contribution, they face structural barriers that limit their sustainability and effectiveness. The Power of Small project was launched to better understand these challenges, test practical solutions, and explore how funders, infrastructure bodies and policy makers can provide more effective support.
Over 11 months in 2024 and 2025, we engaged with over 600 small voluntary organisations, sector experts and funders. Using research, roundtables and pilot initiatives we aimed to develop practical recommendations for improving access to funding, advice and collaboration opportunities.
Our partners
The Power of Small project was shaped by a joint vision for infrastructure developed by NCVO and the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA), ensuring that Smalls’ voices and experiences informed every stage.
Our steering group partners included:
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the National Lottery Community Fund for supporting the Power of Small project and also for allowing us to extend the project to enable us to do more comprehensive testing and development work.
We would also like to thank all the participants who took part in the research and testing. We’re so grateful that over 600 people gave their time and energy to the project, making it a much richer piece of work as a result.
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Small charities are small, but many small charities together can make a big impact
