Number of charity mergers up by almost a third last year

This year’s Good Merger Index, published by the consultancy Eastside People, found there were 63 mergers involving 131 organisations in the year to the end of April 2024, a 31 per cent increase on the previous year.

The figures show a significant increase from the record low levels of merger activity found last year with the total value of the deals in 2023/24 reaching £192m, a more than 500 per cent increase on the year before.

The report says 65 organisations with annual incomes of less than £1m were involved in mergers, compared with 59 in 2022/23 and 50 in 2021/22.

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Black-led charities being held back by unequal access to funding, report finds

The open-innovation organisation Do it Now Now’s Beyond the Cliff Edge report, published this week, says black-led charities and social enterprises must have direct influence over funding and policy decisions for meaningful systemic change to take place.

Black-led organisations often struggle to gain access to decision-making spaces, mentorship and training opportunities, despite being hubs for leadership and innovation, the report says.

The report highlights the need for building trust with funders, participatory grant-making and long-term partnerships that give black-led organisations the resources and authority to drive change at local and national levels.

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Charities offered free AI training

The giving platform Neighbourly is offering free artificial intelligence training to charities, in partnership with Microsoft and other companies.

The Ai123 programme, which has an initial target of training 100,000 people, will provide a baseline knowledge in AI skills to help with practical application in the workplace.

The training is being delivered by volunteers from companies including the retailer Currys, which has partnered with Neighbourly and Microsoft for the initiative.

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