Barely Civil Society

Society. Politics. Charity.

What is Barely Civil Society?

A disruptive, critical and irreverent voice for philanthropy and charity.

The world of the nonprofit needs disruption - of the right kind. Every two weeks(ish) Barely Civil Society offers irreverent and engaging take that goes beyond the day to day of our work, and into the deeper politics of philanthropy and charity in the UK and US.

Expect provocative questions, a satirical sense of humour, and a wide-ranging overview of current affairs, related to civil society and politics. And no sacred cow left un-tipped.

As of 2024, BCS has amassed many thousands of viewers, and counts many top influencers, thinkers, and decision-makers on the philanthropy scene among its readers.

““Everyone always reads the things that Alex Evans publishes. Sign up, and his musings will land in your inbox every couple of weeks as well! This is a TREAT.”

“Love your righteous anger and bullshit-free/hilariously-delivered insights Alex. Keep them coming please!”

  • "Frank and direct critique of bullshit in the sector is utterly crucial, and you're a very expert exponent of it. (As well as being good at highlighting good stuff, too!)"

    Jack

  • "Yes, the content is always great, but aso the quality of the writing is just so exceptional. Humour, authenticity and placed in an academic context (with deep knowledge worn lightly) is not an easy trick to pull off, let alone make look effortless."

    Julia

  • “I've been subscribing for a few months now. I'm really grateful for the time you spend writing and sharing these updates. Thank you for all you do to raise awareness of so many sector issues.”

    Sarah

  • "It's one of the most refreshingly honest and constructively furious things I read regularly at the moment."

    Ahmed

  • "“Can somebody please make this man CEO of the Charity Commission with immediate effect, so I can sleep properly again.”

    Kath

  • "Every single week I get so much from Alex's words. This edition (like all of them) was a total banger."

    Matt

Who Subscribes?

You might be surprised to know that subscribers to the blog are from an even spread of frontline charities, grantmakers, infastructure organisations, universities, and policy organisations, and include senior executives and trustees from some of the largest and smallest charities and grantmakers in the UK. Some are clearly keeping their enemies close, but others have engaged much more fully and deeply with the critique and questioning than you might expect.

It’s okay to have a sense of humour

Some of this works through satire. So much of our public discourse in the VCS can be painfully sanctimonious. This is in contrast to what we see in our day to day work, where there’s a rebellious sense of humour in charities that is stronger than in any other sector I’ve worked in. (The only other place I’ve seen with a gallows humour of its equal is in other high stress environments like casualty departments.) It keeps us going.

So I ask tricky questions with a sense of humour - sometimes of the gallows variety. Because serious work can, and should, be fun. And of course it’s always easier to hear criticism when it’s delivered with tongue in cheek.

Subscribe and get involved

So, thanks for visiting my website. If you’re interested in the same things, please do subscribe to Barely Civil Society.

And of course, please do get in touch if you’d like to discuss how I could help you in your mission in my day job.