Our due diligence process
How we find exceptional small charities
At Raise Your Hands, we believe small charities are some of the most effective organisations helping children and young people to thrive — but they’re often overlooked and underfunded.
Our rigorous charity monitoring and due diligence process ensures we identify the very best of these “hidden gems” — charities that are innovative, well-run, and making measurable social impact in their communities.
A rigorous yet supportive process
We’ve developed and refined our charity monitoring and selection process over several years.
It’s designed to be robust and transparent, while minimising the burden on charities so they can stay focused on their vital work.
1. Research and Discovery
We actively seek out small charities that stand out for their creativity, local insight, and proven impact. This is a year-round job keeps our active long-list fresh.
Eligibility Criteria
2. Expression of Interest
When a vacancy on the platform arises, we shortlist a handful of charities. They are invited to submit an expression of interest outlining their work and demonstrating measurable outcomes for the children and young people they help.
This covers off our ‘must haves’ and further narrows the field for Stage 3.
3. Full Application and Review
We invite successful charities to complete a full application covering:
4. Raise Your Hands Assessment
Our team conducts further research and analysis into governance, diversity of income, trustee composition, and operational resilience — the cornerstones of strong small charity performance.
5. CEO Interview
For charities that successfully reach this final stage, we meet with their leadership to understand their mission, values, and organisational culture — ensuring strong alignment with Raise Your Hands’ ethos and approach to sustainable charity monitoring.
Ongoing monitoring and impact reporting
Our commitment doesn’t end with selection.
Each charity is reviewed annually through structured charity monitoring to track progress against agreed organisational objectives and the impact on the young people they works with.
We assess outcomes, identify challenges, and share insights across our network — ensuring continued effectiveness and accountability.
This ongoing process gives our donors and corporate partners full confidence that every pound raised makes a tangible difference.
By maintaining this rigorous yet supportive approach, Raise Your Hands ensures that:
Together, we’re building a movement that empowers and amplifies the impact of small charities — and gives children and young people across the UK the opportunities they deserve.
Slaney Wright
CEO
