Many organisations need flexibility to sustain growth and have the creative space and potential capacity to prepare for events. For the charity sector, having the availability of such a space to be able to do fundraising is critical. However, just because charity organisations are, well, charities, it doesn’t mean that there is a budget to cover for such lavish types of locations. This is where coworking has a huge advantage and in this blog we are going to take a closer look at the benefits of co-working office space for non profit organisations.
What is a coworking office space for charity organisations?
Coworking office spaces simply means that you are sharing your space with other organisations. This could be one or several. In the charity sector, there are many coworking spaces that have been established and it makes sense when you think about it. Charities have the ability to reach out to one another and share many vital types of resources as well as highlighting each other’s mission of working together for the common good.
Naturally this differs from organisation to organisation and one of the more telling differences between charity organisations sharing spaces than lets say, private enterprises doing so is that there is a risk of competition being next to one another and even industrial style espionage taking place. It’s very different for charity organisations who can share the facilities whilst also being able to use one another for sounding boards on projects without the fear of competition.
Benefits of a co-working space
There are incredible benefits when it comes to co-sharing and the main one is, you get to reduce costs. Actually, you get to save a lot of money by taking on these kinds of facilities and because you are sharing these facilities with like minded people, not only is the setup and management of these offices cost less, the contracts are generally more flexible and can suit your growing business needs. Because of this cost saving, you can put more money into getting the word out there to new donors and spreading the message of your mission to new audiences.
Other benefits to co-working spaces for charity organisations include;
- Connect and collaboration
As already highlighted, you’re in a space with like minded people which means you can easily connect with those in the industry like yours. This can lead to better information sharing and collaboration on projects where you can align your teams to work together if you wanted to. - Facilities
By sharing the facilities you are reducing costs but you are also finding better, more resourceful ways to get equipment. For example, things like printers or even having a good internet line are essential. Coworking spaces think of these things as well as things like desks and meeting rooms which are equally, if not more, important!
- Flexibility
There is a greater flexibility in contract length in co-working spaces which means that you can scale your operation with greater ease. Also, thanks to the nature of coworking spaces, you have more flexibility in fewer desks if so needed – especially if your team works remotely in some areas. - Improve team building
Because the office environment is one where there are shared values between different organisations, it can improve team building. There is an opportunity for organisations to build better cohesion between members and even have influence from other charity organisations that perform well to help inspire and show how they are doing it. - Networking
The networking possibilities are incredible. You have similar organisations, organisations that work in a different space to yours and a mixture of those in between. This means you get to expand your horizons and meet people with like minded ambitions which is great for opening up new ventures and possibilities.
Where to find co-working spaces for charities
If you are looking for co-working spaces for your charity there are many different avenues you can take. Whether it is dealing with a broker who can advise you on where the latest offerings will be as well as giving advice on some of the things that you need to be mindful of with contracts to even asking the local council about facilities.
Another option is to use organisations like the Ethical Property Company who has dedicated coworking spaces around the country in major cities dedicated to helping you get office space for nonprofit organisations.
Coworking spaces present a great opportunity for organisations to not only spend less when it comes to office space but also, to help get charity organisations talking to like minded people in their sector. Shared facilities means that the networking opportunities are increased as well as having more flexibility when it comes to workspace contracts and even the opportunity to scale up or downsize the non profit organisation.