Hello my lovelies,

We are thrilled to announce the launch of the TPL Consultancy Executive Report 2026: "A Stretched Third Sector: From Survival to Intentionality." This comprehensive study provides a vital pulse check on leadership, boards, teams, and organisational resilience within the UK charity sector, drawing on deep insights from leaders across arts, health, infrastructure, and funding organisations.

Our intention is for you to use this report as a resource to help reflect on what can we, collectively, do to help us move to a space of intentionality.

You can download your free copy of this report HERE, but before you go, why not look at the top headlines below-

The charity sector has never lacked commitment. But commitment alone cannot carry the weight of rising demand, funding pressure, stretched teams, and constant uncertainty.

Over recent months, we invited leaders across the sector to share how things are really feeling right now. The responses were honest, thoughtful, and deeply familiar. Many leaders described themselves as coping but stretched. Boards were engaged but often needing fresh energy. Teams were resilient, yet carrying a lot.

One message stood out clearly: We do not just need sustainability. We need intentionality.

The Reality of the "Sustained Stretch"

The insights gathered in our latest report, "A Stretched Third Sector: From Survival to Intentionality," mirror what we see every day in our work with arts, health, infrastructure, and funding organisations.

The data confirms the lived reality of many: 72% of leaders report feeling stretched with significantly limited thinking time, and only 12% feel fully confident about their current capacity. This isn't just about being busy; it's a compounding cost. When we live in a state of sustained stretch, our strategic thinking time drops, leading to decision fatigue and a reduced ability to take the risks necessary to "fail fast" and grow.

Beyond Survival: Moving Toward Intentionality

To move forward, we have to look at the four pillars that hold our organisations together:

Intentional Leadership: Moving from operational firefighting to strategic design.
Intentional Governance: Shifting boards from "attendance" to collective activation. Strong boards reduce leadership isolation, but they require collective ownership and strategic alignment to be effective.
Intentional Culture: We’ve seen that culture builds quietly, but it erodes quietly too. While 60% of teams are stable, only 16% are truly thriving. We must look for signs of "silent burnout" before they lead to withdrawal.
Intentional Collaboration: In a significant shift, collaboration emerged as the #1 factor for strengthening systemic resilience—ranking even higher than finance.

Image of Minoti pointing her hand to a few post-it notes while delivering a training as well as text that includes details of future priorities identified

A Practical Tool for Reflection

That is why we created this report. It isn't just a census of the sector; it is a practical reflection tool for leaders, trustees, and teams wanting to pause and ask the difficult questions:

What needs to stop?
What needs to be delegated?
What decisions are delayed?
What old habits need to shift?
What would stronger leadership look like now?

We believe that small intentional shifts often create the biggest long-term change.

Text showing a few key prompts we are asking Charity leaders to think about

Our Commitment: What we’re doing here

At TPL Consultancy, we believe that stronger leadership, stronger boards, and stronger teams lead to a stronger sector for everyone. Our work isn't just about providing data; it's about listening first and then providing the practical support needed to bridge the gap between "just managing" and truly thriving.

Join the Conversation

Our intention with this report is to create a shared reflection point—a pause in the noise that allows you to respond better to the challenges you face every day

If these themes resonate with your organisation, we would love to help you navigate them. Alongside the report, we are launching our 2026 Strategic Blueprint—a worksheet-style resource designed to help you find clarity amid the noise.