A report published by NAVCA today identifies the essential
characteristics of successful support for local voluntary and
community organisations.
The report, "Building Effective
Local VCS Infrastructure", is the result of research undertaken
by Dr Rob Macmillan and colleagues at Sheffield Hallam University,
with funding from the Big Lottery Fund. Focusing on a group of over
80 local voluntary and community sector infrastructure
organisations (LIOs), the research considered the factors that were
most likely to lead to the creation and sustainability of strong
and effective LIOs.
Top of the list of key criteria were high calibre leadership
by the Chief Executive and good governance by the organisation's
trustees. Support from local statutory organisations, both in terms
of funding and a generally supportive attitude towards the VCS, was
also seen as crucial to the quality of the support offered by LIOs
to local groups. The report also highlighted potential threats to
the effectiveness of LIOs, such as the difficulties of gaining
secure funding and the turbulent policy context for the
VCS.
Dianne Leyland, Director of Development at NAVCA, says: "For the
first time, this research gives a robust analysis of the
characteristics of high-performing local VCS infrastructure. It is
crucial that all funders and supporters of infrastructure pay
attention to these findings to ensure that we enable LIOs to
provide the best possible services to local groups. Whilst LIOs
themselves have a responsibility to review and improve their
performance, too much of their energy is taken up securing
piecemeal and short-term funding. We call on all local statutory
organisations to provide proper long-term funding for LIOs so that
they can concentrate on delivering effective support to the local
VCS."
NAVCA is particularly keen that Capacitybuilders
and the Big Lottery Fund use this report to inform and target their
future funding strategies for local VCS infrastructure.
The report is avalable from:
www.navca.org.uk/publications/belvi