After the vote in June, various charities have been seeking our guidance concerning the impact of the decision to leave the EU. In addition, some enterprises have found their projects placed in extremely uncertain situations, with application submissions to monetary funds such as the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) pending and no firm or consistent support from the Government or regional LEPs as to whether the funding streams will still come to fruition.

Whilst at this stage nobody knows with confidence what the impact will be, we would certainly suggest that non profit organizations confronted with the challenge of an unknown outcome from European funding follow these crucial steps:

1. Do not Panic!

In the years following 2008, charities as well as not-for-profits throughout the UK endured one of the most awful times of economic downturn the nation has ever seen. If you managed to get through the tough times of the previous 8 years, you are most likely to make it through BREXIT also.

2. Talk with existing funders

If you're mid-way through charity fundraising (one-time offer) for a capital project, speak with your current funders now. If they have actually committed already it's simply because they have confidence in your project and will certainly be understanding of your situation - some might even increase their grant offer to cover a possible shortfall.

3. Mitigate

Dealing with the problem head on and providing a brief evaluation of how you intend to mitigate against a potential funding deficiency - looking for other funders, scaling or phasing an undertaking etc. - will be perceived favorably by both existing and potential contributors alike, creating confidence in your organisation.


In case you require advice regarding your development plans or fundraising difficulties, don't hesitate to speak to one of our Directors for an informal chat.