Charity Boost
Providing free HR support for small charities
Small charities are often stretched for time, especially when it comes to HR. At this year’s Festival of Work, the CIPD Trust hosted two Charity Boost sessions aimed at supporting small charities with practical advice on recruitment and retention. Led by experienced HR professionals and enriched by peer discussion, these sessions were designed to offer cost-effective, accessible strategies to charities operating without a large HR function.
“Being a small charity without a big HR team shouldn’t mean you don’t get support.”
Charity Boost attendee
Session one: Smarter recruitment for small charities
Led by Hoda Ali, Head of HR, The Elders Foundation
Small charities often face tough choices when it comes to hiring. Time, resource constraints, and limited HR capacity can make recruitment a challenge. Hoda Ali, Aspiring HRD mentee and Future People Leader mentor with the Trust, led a session focused on tackling these issues head-on.
Make time work for you
Alejandra Campos from Forest Peoples Programme raised a common issue : the sheer time it takes to manage applications when recruiting for roles. Hoda’s solution was clear: structure the recruitment timeline intentionally. She said:
“State when shortlisting begins and be transparent. Then review it on a rolling basis to spread the workload.”
Hoda also encouraged charities to consider costing up the use of third-party services for initial sifting. She added that with a strong business case, outsourcing early-stage recruitment could save time and even money in the long run.
Build culture, not just capacity
When asked how to develop culture and upskill volunteers in a small organisation, Hoda emphasised on-the-job learning, career path planning and even reverse mentoring. She said:
“Think of your organisation as a community, not a family. Families can be toxic. A community is united by mission and purpose.”
This framing, she said, creates the foundation for an inclusive, purpose-driven culture to be built.
Accessible, human-centred hiring
On interviews, Hoda stressed that they should be two-way and inclusive.
“Some people are brilliant at interviews but not at the job. Use the interview to test real-world skills and not being good at talking the talk.”
Practical advice included allowing candidates to bring notes, offering different formats for applications such as video submissions, and ensuring tasks and interview questions provide all candidates a level playing field.
Session two: Retention that starts with trust
Led by Idris Arshad, Head of People, Asthma + Lung UK
Retention is about more than perks or job titles: it’s about purpose, trust, and transparency, according to Idris. For small charities, keeping good people often comes down to if they feel connected, respected and understood.
Transparency builds trust
In charities, job security can feel fragile. Idris highlighted that while this may be unavoidable, being honest around finances and organisational challenges builds trust. He added:
“It’s public information. Don’t hide it. Sometimes staff come up with the best solutions when you’re honest with them.”
Set clear boundaries
When managing hybrid or remote work, Idris advised small charities to assume positive intent but set boundaries.
“Good management starts from a position of trust. But you must be clear about expectations and address problems early,” he said.
Checking in regularly and being responsive to employee needs is key, even without formal HR structures in place.
Make HR visible and human
Asked how to build trust in HR, Idris shared this simple approach:
“Be clear about what HR is and what it isn’t. Show people where the boundaries are. And celebrate HR’s wins.”
He also encouraged HR professionals in small teams to go to staff rather than wait for staff to come to them; meeting people on their terms creates approachability and connection.
Low-budget, high-impact solutions
Both sessions emphasised that good HR doesn’t require a big budget just authenticity, transparency and human connection. Whether it’s free online resources, peer mentoring, AI tools for templates or CSR partnerships for development opportunities, support is out there. Idris summed up by saying:
“Your charity’s superpower is its purpose. People stay when they feel aligned and valued.”
Find out more about our Charity Boost sessions (or to sign up for future Charity Boost sessions).
