What next? Advice esp welcome from anyone in the charity sector

[Unersame]

Name changed for this given the amount of personal info shared.

For the past six years or so I've started and run a very busy small front-line charity. I have a team of trustees but broadly I do what I suspect are several people's jobs together: recruiting and managing dozens of volunteers, writing and monitoring grants (in the £10-50k ballpark), managing things operationally, supply chain, signposting... it'd be quicker to explain what I don't do. I enjoy it and get a lot of pride from seeing what I have set up, but it is now down to a manageable three days per week, DC are getting a little older (though still primary) and I feel I am capable of more.

I have ADHD and autism, and have set things up in a way that plays to my strengths. But the converse of that is that I do not function well in many work environments, or ones with non-stop "people-ing" or meetings. I can also come across oddly despite considerable effort to fit in. This isn't a "look at me aren't I trendy with my neurospicy diagnoses" type of situation - I simply cannot function and have bombed out of previous jobs, despite being very capable in some ways. I was previously a solicitor.

So, I am starting to look at work I can do around the above, and getting nowhere:

• Applied for a trustee role at a related org, bombed the interview
• Operational roles at other small charities - doable but quite low-level, not very stimulating.
• Fundraising / grant writing of some sort - maybe, if the hours work and it's hybrid?
• Some kind of self employed grant writing / freelance type arrangement, either in my sector specifically or working with small charities and CICs?
• Expanding what I do now within my org, and seeking funding for it accordingly?

-Look for work in a ND charity, where I'll be more likely to be with my tribe?

• Nothing, because running a charity and keeping its head above water is enough and I should spend my free time eating biscuits and reading novels?

I'm just lost really. I feel like I have a lot to give but don't know how to move forward.

1. you won’t slot in another charity role, you will be bored doing one mundane “job” and not juggling disciplines. Unless you go for a more senior management position but I didn’t read that that is how you see yourself and your strengths.

2. I’d keep doing what you are doing, with a view of bringing somebody in to support you. Then set up as a consultant where you can specialise in trusts & grants for others or which ever aspect(s) you enjoy most. It could include advising new set ups or small charities. Just make sure you charge yourself out at an appropriate daily rate. Yes, any small charity has to watch what they spend, but your skill set will easily outweigh that for them. When people don’t pay, or pay too little, they don’t take you seriously or follow your advice. Value what you offer and they will to.

Thank you! I think (1) hits the nail on the head - I just keep browsing jobs and finding that I could do x, or y, but don't feel especially inspired by any of it. And that's probably why.

I think you need to really look at your charity and why this role is not working for you. Do you need additional staff to support you, what is your 5 year plan, are you just exhausted. Look up the Cranfield trust as they offer free support and mentoring for charities and are good and they may help guide you. Also look at succession planning to see what would happen if you left. I work with charities so do dm me if you want to. Running a charity is hard.

@Unersame have a look at the Association of Fundraising Consultants, this will give an idea of support networks, areas people work in self employed or lead to you joining one of them in some capacity.

Thoughts:

You bombed out of one Trustee interview means that you bombed out of one Trustee interview - doesn't mean you shouldn't take the learning and apply for others. Second, third, fifth time and all that.

Grant writing is the least reactive and most Audhd friendly IMHO.
Self employed could also work but bear in mind how reliable you need income to be and whether you mind having to hustle and self promote for the next gig.

Building on what you already do - sounds like a great plan.

Working for an ND charity- don't assume that a small charity will walk the walk. I hate to say it but that's not been my experience always - as they are so stretched. Middle and large sized charities have been more ND friendly IME.

Wildcard - training as a coach?

You could take a look for philanthropy/fundraising roles at universities?
e.g.
https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DNE144/trust-and-foundation-coordinator
https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DNC257/philanthropy-officer
https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DNB136/development-and-fundraising-support

Things are broadly working, but I am just a bit bored really. I do well when there’s a certain amount of chaos or crisis, and while we had that at the outset things now are orderly and functional. I appreciate this is an unusual problem to have in the British charity sector in 2025.

I don’t especially need to earn more, but I have a bit of time to fill (around my current role), and a sense that I am capable of doing more than I do.

I’ve done a bit of fundraising/grants for the kids’ school, which is lovely and fulfilling but not a job in itself.

Thank you - all very logical!

I’ve gone a bit cold on other Trustee roles since that one - it felt like a particularly good fit. But you’re right, it’s one interview out of one interview rather than a damning indictment.

Will reflect on your other points.

Volunteer role, schools really struggle to find people able to dedicate time and experience to the role.

https://www.nga.org.uk/about/become-a-governor-trustee/

https://governorsforschools.org.uk

What is it that you're wanting to achieve exactly?

I'm the CEO of a medium sized charity, the trustee of a small charity and also have adhd, so might be able to help but I'm struggling to unpick what you are actually wanting here. Apologies if you've articulated this and I've missed it!

OK, sorry, just read your post saying that you're bored. Common problem for us ADHDers!

Looking for other trustee roles might be a good plan. I'm also a school governor and second that suggestion.

Where do you want your career to take you in the longer term, and which bits of your current role do you enjoy/not enjoy?

Things are broadly working in my current role, but I am a bit bored and have more time than it takes up. I also think I’d benefit from something a little more dynamic that challenges me.

If I was writing a unicorn job spec for me it’d be some sort of 1-2 day per week role, combining on and off site, preferably with a range of clients/counterparts, and writing to brief would feature as a requirement.

Is there scope to grow the current charity, if you already have it set up in ways that are working for you? Or are you bored of the cause/looking for something completely new?

Might some sort of part time study tick the boxes for you?

I think growing the charity / increasing our scope of work is the most straightforward option, yes. I’m not bored of the cause itself (food poverty). I think it bears a bit of reflection or discussion with people in the sector or our service users, about what a good branching out initiative might look like.

I would then look at those who use your charity and see what other things they struggle with you could branch into. So adult education, play sessions, transport etc. if ypu are established and well regarded then funding for additional services might be easier to get as you have assessed additional need. A new project within this charity might give you a boost.

I am a charity trustee and I think anyone that is in a senior leadership position in a charity should be a trustee in another charity. Most charities like legal expertise on their boards so that's a big plus. If the trustee role that bombed at interview wasn't for you then there will be many others that would welcome your skill mix. Fundraising / grant application consulting would definitely be worth exploring as would coaching and mentoring other charity founders or those that are on the leadership succession career path.

I think with the mix of things that you are currently doing would mean that you would need to be in a senior position and/or a smaller charity where the roles tend to be broader in scope (in an all hands to the deck kind of a way which you seem to thrive on).

Very large charities can be quite structured and the roles are narrower which might not give you the breadth you want.

Function-wise, may be something in fundraising/grants/marketing
or HR and Operations
or perhaps a COO role.

Food poverty would be interesting developed into ‘growing’ (maybe you do). Thinking in terms of community gardens and the health benefits. Social prescribing type work.
We also have a small charity that provides families with food and a menu, support to cook from scratch. Adult and child, local cafes involved.

Maybe widening the charity benefits, reach, would give you a new impetus.

We do to some extent, though a bit hamstrung by lack of growing space. Current initiatives:

• a chef on site once a week cooking meals from surplus ingredients (this is very well received)
• a bit of work at a local community garden with teenage volunteers growing herbs etc
• collecting and distributing excess food from a foodie market

And we feed a lot of people weekly, hundreds.

We come up with something new, we get funding, we implement it, it goes well enough… I am just (reasonably or not) not feeling very challenged by any of it.