Covid-19: IoF announces redundancy plans amid pandemic

The Chartered Institute of Fundraising has announced that 13 jobs are at risk of redundancy due to the impact of Covid-19.

IoF chief executive Peter Lewis has confirmed that a formal consultation has launched over the redundancy plans and that “it is with much sadness and regret that not all of our current team will be able to stay with us”.

He added: “This is a decision that we hoped we would not have to make – but like so many of our members across the charity sector, we have no choice but to take this action now due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on our organisation.

“Both personally, and on behalf of all the senior team and trustees of the Chartered Institute, I would like to thank publicly all of the staff team for their huge efforts and commitment, not just over the last few months serving the fundraising community in these extraordinary times.

“Every single role that is at risk of redundancy, and every single person in those roles, has played a significant part in supporting our members in this time of unprecedented difficulty. Every single person that we will have to say goodbye to in due course will be missed.”

He added that the decision comes at a time when the fundraising sector needs its services, campaigning and research “more than ever”.

“It is incredibly sad to have to reduce our capacity to deliver that essential support,” he added.

With face to face fundraising curtailed amid the pandemic, the charity sector’s finances have been decimated.

Half of aid charities could be forced to close due to the crisis, a survey revealed earlier this month.

Meanwhile, the National Trust confirmed this month that more than 1,200 jobs will be lost as it looks to make £100m annual savings.

To offset fundraising losses many charities are looking to ramp up their online and digital capabilities, including their use of online fundraising platforms.

According to Virgin Money Giving donations via the platform for this year’s virtual London Marathon were down by more than a third on last year’s mass participation event in the capital.