Should you work for a small or large charity?
When it comes to charities, does size matter? Is bigger better, or do the best things come in small packages?
As with most things in life, there’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ answer. It boils down to your priorities and what you want from your job.
To help you decide, let’s look at some of the pros and cons of working for large and small charities.
Small Charities
Advantages:
97% of charities in the UK are small (they have an annual income of less than £1 million). That’s a lot of organisations to choose from and a wealth of potential job opportunities.
Smaller organisations have fewer staff, so they tend to look for multi-taskers. If you’re willing to muck in and cover a variety of functions, you’ll pick up a ton of valuable skills and experience.
Smaller organisations tend to be more agile in their decision-making. And let’s face it, getting a team of six on board with a new initiative is a lot easier than convincing hundreds of stakeholders across multiple time zones.
The working environment in small charities tends to be collaborative and close-knit. On the downside, it’s tricky to avoid employees you don’t get on with.
You’ll be close enough to beneficiaries to see the difference you’re making.
Disadvantages:
If career stability is a priority, a small charity might not be for you. Positions are often funded for a set amount of time and there’s no guarantee they’ll be extended. And there tend to be fewer opportunities for promotion, so you may have to leave to advance your career.
Smaller budgets mean smaller salaries, although most charities try and offset this with perks such as increased holiday allowance or flexible working opportunities. Speaking of which, if you need a flexible job, smaller organisations are a good call, as they’re more likely to be looking for part-time employees.
Large Charities
Advantages:
Large charities have clear structures and multiple levels of hierarchy. Job roles are rigidly defined, so if you’re looking to specialise in a particular area, this may be the way to go.
If career progression is a priority, job responsibilities, promotional opportunities, and pathways to leadership tend to be clearly defined, making it easy to see where and when you could progress.
Big charities have big budgets. This means you’ll get to work on projects with a large scope and potential impact. You’ll also have access to more resources, support, technology, and training. However, because of the large amounts of money involved, large organisations tend to be risk-averse. Every project will be carefully evaluated and approved by multiple stakeholders, which can limit spontaneity and innovation.
Disadvantages:
One of the main attractions of working for a large charity is the salary. On average, large charities pay 8% more than smaller charities. Senior roles in particular tend to attract higher salaries. On the flip side, competition for senior roles can be fierce.
It can be difficult to get noticed in a large charity, as you’re a small cog in a big machine. Individual achievements are more widely recognised in smaller charities.
Final Thoughts
We've made some sweeping generalisations here, but whatever way you cut it, both large and small charities offer fantastic career opportunities and experience.
A lot of the fundraisers we work with move between both, and they’re stronger candidates for it.
Looking for your next fundraising role? We can help. Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 to get started.