Thursday, 3 July 2014

How small charities can have a big impact

Just came across this article from The Guardian on the voluntary sector network blog. I have taken excerpts below...

'Small charities are increasingly having to innovate and do more with less to survive.

It is no secret that charities are facing tough times. Demand is up and funding is down meaning that charities – especially the smaller ones – are having to think outside of the box to survive.'

During a live debate hosted on 20th June the following questions were raised:

'• What innovative techniques small charities can use to maximise and measure their impact

• How small charities can cut costs while maximising social outcomes
• Where to begin and what to consider when approaching impact measurement'
If you missed it, don't worry.  These are exactly the type of questions that Operational Research can help you with.  
O.R. is about finding ways to apply analytical methods to make better decisions. Third Sector organisations face extremely complex decisions about the direction they should take and how to allocate scarce resources.  These are some of the issues the organisations we've worked with have faced:
 ‘We have lots of different options for the future but it’s impossible to decide which to choose in such uncertain times.’
  ‘We’re under huge pressure to do more with less, and we don’t know how we’re going to do it.’
  ‘It’s hard to stay objective when we’re faced with such emotionally charged decisions.’
  ‘We know we’re doing a good job – but how can we prove it?’

UK based organisations in the third sector can now benefit from O.R. consultancy at no cost. The Operational Research Society is offering third sector organisations the opportunity for free consultancy to help reduce costs and improve utilisation of limited resources.

The society wants more organisations to benefit from operational research and recognises that third sector organisations have an even greater need to be more efficient.

For more information please contact me at felicity.mcleister@theorsociety.com



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