The Gradel Institute of Charity

14/01/2026

Is 2026 the year you're hoping to bring your social innovation dream to life? Do you have a great idea, but aren't sure where to start? We have the solution! The Gradel Institute has developed a FREE social innovation course on Coursera, taking you through the steps you need to take to turn bold ideas into sustainable social impact 💡🪴

To sign up, head to Coursera 👉 https://www.coursera.org/learn/social-innovation-strategy-for-nonprofit-organisations

06/01/2026

2026 is the International Year of Volunteers!

To coincide with this important moment, the Gradel Institute of Charity convened a roundtable in November, bringing together charity professionals and academic experts to explore the state of volunteering today, and how it can evolve to meet the challenges of the future. We examined:

📉 Current volunteering trends
⛔ Key barriers to participation
🤝 New ways to strengthen and expand volunteering opportunities

The insights and recommendations from this conversation have now been published in a new report - read it here: https://bit.ly/3YuIHuG

We'd love to hear your thoughts!

10/12/2025

Yesterday we attended the Charity Commission's Annual Public Meeting. Interim chair Mark Simms delivered a powerful and sobering opening speech, revealing that abuse and hostility towards those working in the third sector is rising - from teams supporting asylum seekers and migrant communities, to those working in women’s services, for homelessness organisations, and faith-based charities.

Simms reinforced the message that the third sector has never been more needed, and that we must continue to speak out for all communities.

During the Q&A, GIC's Executive Director Sir Stephen Bubb asked for reassurance that the Commission would fiercely defend charities’ ability to speak truth to power. CEO David Holdsworth responded that the Commission’s role is not only to enforce, but to enable and defend the rights of charities.

As Mark Simms rightly said: "Charities exist to address society's most difficult and challenging needs. But far from being solely victims of these erosions, the sector is one of our greatest assets in reclaiming firm ground".

02/12/2025

📣Update! At today's roundtable in Westminster, our Executive Director Sir Stephen Bubb had the opportunity to present the Gradel Institute’s latest research to Nigel Huddleston MP, the Shadow Secretary of State for DCMS — including our key finding that the UK charity sector is worth £115 billion.

Sir Stephen highlighted that the sector is not only a major economic force, but also essential to building and sustaining the country’s social infrastructure. He argued that government must view the sector as central to economic growth, rather than a marginal activity.

We’re pleased to see these insights gaining traction and look forward to sharing our future research with government.

02/12/2025

This , the Gradel Institute has been invited to a roundtable hosted by the Shadow Culture, Media and Sport team in Westminster. We look forward to discussing ways to promote philanthropy, charitable giving, and broader support for the sector, particularly in light of last week’s Autumn Budget announcements.

Back in September, The Chancellor of the Exchequer welcomed the outcomes of the GIC's latest report 'A Third Way of Doing Growth' - read her full response here: https://bit.ly/4pImQeO

We are encouraged that the Institute's work is getting noticed, and grateful to be part of the ongoing conversation.

14/11/2025

What happens when you put non-profit researchers in a room with non-profit practitioners? Answer: new insights, unexpected perspectives and LOTS of food for thought!

A big thank you to everyone who joined our volunteering roundtable in Oxford yesterday, where we explored whether the statistics showing a decline in volunteering matched the experiences of those working on the ground. This lead to conversations about the ways in which volunteering has evolved in recent years, and what the third sector must do to respond to this shift. We look forward to sharing further outcomes in due course!

22/10/2025

Our Directors, Sir Stephen Bubb and Professor Peter Frumkin, have been busy travelling across the UK and beyond these past few weeks - sharing insights from Gradel Institute research and learning from inspiring grant makers and community leaders along the way. Grateful for such meaningful exchanges and experiences!

Read more about it here👇

Gradel Institute Directors Sir Stephen Bubb and Professor Peter Frumkin have spent the past few weeks addressing academics, grant makers and charity professionals at a range of events. At the end of September, Professor Frumkin was invited to the University of Basel, where he delivered a keynote sp

18/09/2025

Last week we had the privilege to partner with Clore Social Leadership to deliver the first part of our pioneering 'Leading Social Impact' programme for third sector leaders at University of Oxford. During a four day residential, our wonderful group of over 40 delegates from across the world threw themselves into lectures and seminars, led by exceptional practitioners, on impactful governance, organisational change, inclusive design, and AI - amongst many other topics.

We were thrilled to see how well the group connected from the first session onwards, and we are so grateful for everyone's openness and willingness to share and learn. A very special network was created, which sets us up beautifully for the upcoming online sessions, and beyond!

11/07/2025

Our Charity Advisory Board met for the first time in Oxford last week. A morning of thought-provoking discussions and invaluable insights. The group's real-world experience is instrumental to the Gradel Institute's strategic direction - we look forward to reconvening in the autumn!

Find out more 👉

The Charity Advisory Board serves as a sounding board for our research and executive programs and as a forum for discussing the key challenges facing charities.

05/06/2025

This we are spotlighting Dr Philine van Overbeeke, Research Fellow at the Gradel Institute. Her work focuses on all aspects of volunteering, including volunteer management and the value of volunteering 🤝

Read more about Philine's important research here 👇

Discover how volunteers create value beyond saving costs. Learn about their societal impact, creativity, and how inclusive practices maximise their contributions.

27/05/2025

Wonderful to have our team of visiting researchers back in college over the last few days. They had a busy schedule, discussing a wide range of topics from AI to volunteering. We hope they've come away inspired and invigorated and we look forward to sharing their research with you very soon!