NAVCA has published
"Why
grants are important for a healthy local VCS". Funded by the
Finance Hub, this report explores the grant funding relationship
between local government and the local voluntary and community
sector as part of the local funding mix. It focuses on four local
authorities that demonstrate good practice in grant making
(Gloucester City Council, Newcastle City Council, Nottinghamshire
County Council and Reading Borough Council. Based on interviews
with NAVCA members and key local authority personnel, this report
highlights current local thinking on grant funding issues,
identifies some of the challenges in the local funding
relationship, and explores the issues at stake for both
sectors.
The report contains a checklist which local authorities
can use to benchmark their activity and local infrastructure
organisations and the local voluntary and community sector can use
as a basis for a discussion with local authorities and local
strategic partnerships.
NAVCA Chief Executive, Kevin Curley, says: "Local
authorities are reviewing the way in which they fund the voluntary
and community sector. In some areas this has meant a loss of grant
funding, the most flexible form of funding. This is a real cause
for concern. If grant funding is lost, it is particularly the work
done by smaller and newer organisations that is affected. These
organisations address needs of specific groups, build social
capital, improve quality of life and build a sense of community in
their area. However they may not have the capacity to meet service
delivery specifications. Without grant funding the valuable work of
these organisations risks being lost. Using this report, local
authorities can benchmark their approach to grant funding as part
of the local mix."
This publication complements
"Sustaining grants" which is a
campaign leaflet, published by ten leading voluntary sector
agencies (including NAVCA) that argues for the importance of small
grants schemes.