Not just about money
With over 200,000 registered charities in our fine country that all vie for a limited amount of funding, these days it is a lot harder to keep heads above water.
When businesses are finding it tough to stay afloat, philanthropic giving and sponsorship are often first off the ranks into the slaughterhouse of austerity.
Many big firms are following the trend of offering their staff volunteer days as a way of keeping morale high and ticking boxes on corporate social responsibility. This rise in volunteerism is absolutely fantastic, but sometimes groups don't realise that it takes a lot of time and resources to manage volunteers, make sure they are safe and that projects run smoothly, putting more pressure on already strained organisations.
I am aware of several organisations that have closed their doors and shut down because of the ongoing tightening of the purse strings. Environmental charities are often the hardest hit because our deliverables aren't as poignant as those fighting child cancer or heart disease. And nor should they be - there is no competition.