Charities are being given negotiation advice from the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (Acevo).

A new guide warning charities not simply to accept what they are offered was launched by the association following research showing that many charity chiefs lack confidence at the negotiation table.

Only one in 20 smaller organisations (with a turnover of under £1 million), compared to one in five large charities, say almost all their negotiations result in successful outcomes

Forty-five per cent of CEOs in smaller charities said they found negotiation ‘uncomfortable’ compared with 18 per cent in larger organisations.

Stephen Bubb, CEO of Acevo, said: "Gone are the days when charities could just accept what they are given. Proper funding is essential to delivering effective services and voluntary organisations should not sell themselves short.

"If our role in delivering public services is to continue to grow, we need leaders who are confident in securing the necessary funding," he added.

Acevo’s new guide: ‘How to negotiate: a guide to negotiation strategy and tactics for third sector leaders’, aims to take leaders step by step through the preparation, psychology and team management it deems necessary for successful negotiation.