Charity leaders and trustees from across the country are being encouraged to participate in a survey designed to throw light on the challenges of juggling financial sustainability, culture and delivering outcomes in the UK’s 185,000 registered charities.

The research follows a presentation at the Charity Finance Group’s Annual Conference in June 2025 when Sharon Bell, Chief Executive of Services For Education – a £7m turnover charity delivering music tuition to children, and expert training and development to teaching and school support staff – delivered a seminar on creating a culture that values both financial resilience and long-term impact.

“The seminar resulted in a lively discussion with most charity leaders appearing to agree that maintaining financial control whilst delivering activities and positive outcomes is one of the most demanding tasks they face – but there appears to be little research to throw light on how it is best achieved,” said Sharon who is also a trustee of Renew Wellbeing, a charity that partners with local churches to create safe, cafe-style ‘wellbeing spaces’ for mental and emotional support.

The survey – which can take less than ten minutes to complete – examines leadership priorities, current areas of pressure and whether a shift in focus has led to significant change in the respondent’s organisation. The survey aims to help leaders of charities of all sizes, to better meet the challenges of balancing short-term needs with longer-term sustainability whilst meeting their principal aims.

“Organisational culture is critical in navigating challenges, whether we lead paid teams or a volunteer army. How do leaders create an environment where people flourish and remain passionate about their mission while ensuring that the team understand issues around sustainability – including financial, resilience and long-term success?” said Sharon who is also speaking on the issue in a workshop called ‘Harmony or Headache’ at ICAEW’s Charities Conference, January 22/23, 2026.

“I am hopeful that charity leaders and trustees will take time to both complete the survey and give this issue further thought, prior to there being a round-table discussion on the issues raised.”

The survey, which closes in mid-2026, is available at Charity Leadership Survey – Services For Education. Participants can elect to receive a copy of the results and volunteer to join in follow-up discussions.

Pictured: Sharon Bell, Chief Executive, Services For Education

For further information on Services For Education:

David Clarke, Clarke Associates, (Public and media relations, Services For Education)
E: david-c@clarke-associates.co.uk;
M: 07808 735255

About Services For Education:

An education and training charity based in Birmingham, Services For Education brings music and learning to life. Services For Education employs more than 200 staff delivering music tuition to children, and expert training and development to teaching and school support staff. It has annual income of £7.1m (2023/2024). Part-funded by the Arts Council, England it also has its own fundraising and subsidised commercial operations.

• Services For Education’s Music Service, one of the largest in the country, works with 98% of Birmingham schools and each year teaches music to nearly 32,000 children – as well as running 113 free ensembles. It provides 27,000 musical instruments free-of-charge so all children have access to playing and enjoying music together and its Youth Proms at Symphony Hall give 4,000 young musicians the opportunity to perform to an audience of more than 10,000. It also runs music schools, has a world music department, provides private music tuition to all ages as well as working with partners to deliver music and choral opportunities to disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. Its award-winning Online Music Educational Resource was completed and launched free to schools in 2021 to appeal to a young IT-connected audience attracted to learning online and to complement traditional tuition.
• Services For Education’s School Support Service provides expert training and development to teaching and support staff in nearly 600 schools in the West Midlands and increasingly across England, to improve practice and ensure teachers are best equipped to respond to developments in curriculum and policy. As a leading provider of safeguarding education, Services For Education works with 400 schools delivering training in-person and on-line. It also delivers innovative programmes to support the physical and emotional health of children and young people through Health for Life and other community-based activity. servicesforeducation.co.uk

Issued on behalf of:

Services For Education
Unit 3 Holt Court
Holt Street
Birmingham Science Park
Aston
Birmingham B7 4AX