The power of being independently funded
You might be surprised to learn that we don’t receive government funding for our work with people preparing to leave prison. There are good reasons behind this decision. Zoe, our Fundraising Officer, explores the power of being an independently funded charity.
It is no secret that our criminal justice system is under immense strain. Prisons are overcrowded, probation services are stretched thin, and those caught in the system are more than feeling the effects of this.
When people leave prison, they face a complex set of challenges: unstable housing, limited access to mental health support, and the relentless rise in the cost of living. Their needs are growing, yet the services available to support them simply aren’t keeping pace.
In this context, it is reasonable to expect that a charity like StandOut – offering individualised, long-term coaching and practical support both in prison and after release – would receive government funding to help address these critical gaps.
We are asked this all the time.
And the answer is: we don’t.
StandOut is funded through charitable donations – from Trusts, Foundations, and a growing community of individuals who believe in supporting people to rebuild their lives after prison.
So, why don’t we receive statutory funding?
There are a range of reasons for being independently funded – which we will unpack – but at its core, this independence allows us to focus on people before process.
Statutory funding isn’t always the right fit.
Government funding is difficult to access for smaller criminal justice charities like ours. According to NPC, 94% of statutory funding goes to larger charities with annual incomes over £2m. [1]
And when funding is available to us, the application process is often time-consuming and resource-intensive, diverting efforts that would be better spent on the people we support. On top of this, statutory funding increasingly comes in the form of short-term contracts with restrictive targets, timelines, and narrow definitions of success.
While metrics are important for accountability, they don’t always reflect the reality of life after prison. For instance, a contract might define success as a specific number of participants entering employment shortly after release. In our experience, the path to stability often starts elsewhere – such as securing stable housing, managing substance misuse or rebuilding self-confidence and social ties. This is where being independently funded makes a big difference. It gives us the flexibility to meet people where they are, not where a contract says they should be.
We can stay focused – and build trust
Because we haven’t chased short-term contracts, we have had the flexibility to focus on depth over breadth. Over the past eight years, StandOut has built a strong foundation working with men in London prisons – testing, refining, and repeating our approach until we could confidently say: this works.
This has protected us from what is referred to as ‘mission drift’, where charities shift their focus to suit specific funding criteria. Instead, we have remained grounded in our mission. As a result, when we approach potential funders, we have the confidence and evidence to secure the kind of support that strengthens, rather than shifts, our focus.
Independent funding has also allowed us to invest in our team. Free from the pressure of short-term contracts, we can invest in the StandOut team, giving them the time and training they need to confidently walk alongside participants at every stage of their journey.
This consistency builds something incredibly valuable: trust. Trust with participants, with communities, and within our team. It has created a positive feedback loop, where lived experience, team insight, and expert input come together to make our support even stronger.
In fact, 50% of UK adults agree that if a family member or neighbour needed help, they would trust a small, local charity more than national charities or government organisations. [2]
We can be a trusted, independent voice within the system
There is a real power in being close to the system – without being a part of it.
We work closely with the three prisons we are based in; however, we are not an extension of statutory services. That distinction matters – not just for the people we support, but for the wider sector too.
For participants, it means we can build more trusting, consistent relationships. While our coaches do the essential, relational work of building trust, being independently funded adds to their credibility. They can be seen as separate from a system that, for many, has repeatedly let them down. That distance can make all the difference in helping someone feel safe enough to engage.
It also means we can offer consistency. While policies, leadership, or funding priorities may shift across the prison estate, the StandOut course and coaching support stay steady. This kind of dependability is rare and incredibly powerful for someone who is finding their feet after prison.
In the wider sector, our independence allows us to act as a critical friend to the system. We are embedded enough to understand its challenges while being sufficiently removed to speak honestly about what needs to change. This unique position enables us to contribute meaningfully – feeding into parliamentary consultations, responding to calls for evidence, and sharing insights drawn from both our eight years of programme delivery and the lived experiences of participants. StandOut’s advisory board, Experts Beyond Bars, plays a vital role in shaping and informing this work.
People see the value in this too: 58% believe government policy would be more effective if informed by small charities like ours [3]. We couldn’t agree more.
We can invite others to join the conversation
Being people-powered, not government-funded, gives us the freedom to have honest, open conversations about what is really happening within our justice system, where the gaps are, and what ongoing, person-centred support looks like in practice. The appetite for this is clear – 45% of people say they want to discover and support small charities [4] – they just need to be invited in. Being independently funded allows to do exactly that, bringing more people into both the conversation and the solution.
So, are we opposed to statutory funding?
Not at all.
Over the past eight years, we have developed a support model that genuinely empowers people to realise their potential and leave the criminal justice system behind – for good. While we have managed to do this without statutory funding, this doesn’t mean we are opposed to it.
We continue to monitor opportunities and remain open to support that would align with our mission and values.
Thanks to the space that independence has given us, we are now in a better position to evaluate future funding opportunities. We can more easily discern those that will strengthen our mission, and those which might risk pulling us away from it.
We invite you to join us in continuing this work, ensuring we can always put people before process.