Exploring Collaboration & Mergers for a Sustainable Future

Across the sector, we know many of you are facing unprecedented pressure. The compounding effects of rising demand, inflation, workforce challenges, and squeezed funding are being felt acutely. 

This is more than a passing moment—it’s a turning point. For many, it’s a period that demands transformation rather than short-term fixes. 

Key Challenges We’re Hearing 

• Increased Need: The cost-of-living crisis continues to push more children, families and schools to rely on charities for support. Schools can’t meet this growing demand alone, but unfortunately cuts are directly impacting the charity sector. This includes our 187 delivery members who work on the frontline with the education and youth workforce. Many of you have told us that capacity is stretched, and pressure is growing, but we’re here to support you to sustain and scale your impact.  

• Funding Pressure: Across all sectors, charities are seeing income decline while costs increase. Funding is more competitive and short term, making it harder for charities to plan or invest in long-term impact. 

• Workforce Strain: Recruitment and retention are ongoing challenges—particularly in frontline and leadership roles. Rising workloads and stagnant pay are contributing to increased stress and burnout across the sector. 

These challenges are not only stretching capacity and leaving organisations at risk of being stuck in survival mode, but also calling for new ways of thinking about how the sector adapts and thrives. Addressing them will take shared effort—not just from delivery organisations, but from schools, funders, policymakers and system leaders too. 

The Opportunity – Collaboration & Mergers 

One practical step many organisations are already exploring is greater collaboration. Strategic collaboration—and in some cases, merger—can be a proactive route to increasing impact, building organisational resilience and navigating shared challenges. As a merged charity ourselves, we have firsthand experience of the impact it can make.  

We know many of you are already thinking about this and we want to provide a space to learn and explore this together. 

Join our upcoming workshop with Bates Wells  

📅: 15th May, 3 PM – 6 PM (includes time for networking and informal discussion)

📍: Hybrid – attend in person at Bates Wells (10 Queen St Pl, London EC4R 1BE) or join virtually. We encourage in-person attendance if you can. 

An interactive workshop for CEOs, senior leaders and board members (or a combination of all three) 

✅ Hear from leaders who’ve been through collaboration or mergers 

✅ Learn about different partnership structures 

✅ Explore what makes collaboration succeed 

✅ Understand common pitfalls and regulatory guidance 

✅ Network with peers 

Secure your spot now! 

If you have any questions, please contact fea.events@faireducation.org.uk