Charities must move away from over-reliance on grants and donations and instead build sustainable income models if they want to survive and grow, a leading sector figure has warned.
Paul McIlvenny, founder of Include Me 2 Club, delivered the message at the recent Accountants Plus (AP) Charity Conference in Motherwell, where he shared practical fundraising advice and insights from the organisation's rapid growth.
Growth and Sustainable Income
Include Me 2 Club supports more than 2,000 people with additional support needs across the west of Scotland and has transformed itself from a small volunteer-led group into a £1.6m organisation employing 75 staff.
Crucially, around 70% of its income is now generated through sustainable trading activity rather than grants.
Flipping the Fundraising Mindset
Speaking at the conference, Mr McIlvenny highlighted the need for charities to “flip the traditional mindset” around fundraising.
He said: “Too many organisations are stuck in a cycle of chasing grants. We realised early on that if we wanted to be sustainable, we had to generate income ourselves through social enterprise, partnerships and events. That gives you control, stability and the ability to grow.”
In his presentation he encouraged charities to diversify their fundraising strategies, cautioning against relying on the same supporters or funding streams.
He added: “Be creative and try different approaches, whether that’s events, corporate partnerships or enterprise activity. And most importantly, build relationships. The long-term partnerships we’ve developed with businesses have been transformational.”
Collaboration and Future Events
The AP conference brought together a wide range of charities, funders and advisers to share knowledge and strengthen collaboration across the sector.
Mr McIlvenny also stressed the importance of better information-sharing.
He said: “The sector can be too defensive at times. Events like this help people connect, collaborate and avoid costly mistakes.”
Fiona Struthers, a senior member of AP’s charity team, said: “Paul’s story really resonated with attendees because it challenges how many charities think about funding. Developing sustainable income streams isn’t easy, but it’s becoming essential.
“The feedback from this conference has been positive, and it’s clear there’s a real appetite for more opportunities to share knowledge, so we’re looking forward to hosting another event later this year.”
Accountants Plus confirmed that the success of the event has led to plans for another charity conference later this year.
