UK Education Charity Forced Into Closure

A UK education charity has been forced to close its doors after failing to recover from a substantial government funding cut.

Think Global – which promotes development education to encourage action on global issues – announced it was permanently closing due to a lack of sustainable funding.

In a statement, the charity said it had been unable to replace vital income lost after changes in UK government priorities led to a substantial funding cut from the Department for International Development (DFID).

Funding from DFID was used by the charity to run a Global Learning Programme, and according to Think Global’s most recent annual report, this funding provided 90 per cent of its unrestricted income and helped maintain its core financial security.

https://twitter.com/thinkglobaluk/status/1060534322657222658

Think Global said it was unable to save the organisation, despite having known for more than 18 months that it faced financial challenges.

“[We] have worked very hard to secure an alternative future, including exploring a potential merger, but all our efforts could not replace such a large reduction in income,” the statement said.

James Luger, the chair of Think Global, said as the charity closed its doors, the need for development education had never been greater.

“However, Think Global didn’t act alone – we were an effective force for global learning because our members, networks, friends and supporters amplified our message, and this community will continue to promote the vital importance of helping people understand and act on global issues,” Luger said.

In wake of Think Global’s closure, a number of other international development charities and programs are expected to continue the charity’s work, including education teams at Oxfam and Red Cross.