Origins of Capacitybuilders

1996 : Deakin Commission Report

Report on the future of the voluntary sector and a significant factor behind the creation of the Compact, the Office of the Third Sector and ChangeUp, as well as regulatory reform and the introduction of a public benefit text for charities.

 

2002 : HM Treasury Cross Cutting Review Report - The Role of the Voluntary and Community Sector in Service Delivery, A Cross Cutting Review

This report recognised that many voluntary and community organisations were unable to access the support required to meet the needs of their users.

The report recommended that the voluntary and community sector and central and local government develop a shared strategy to underpin the capacity of the sector.

 

2003 : Civil Renewal Unit, 2003-2004 consultation

The Community Capacity Building Action Plan summarised action rising from the Building Civil Renewal consultation and put forward proposals about how community groups and community capacity building could be better supported.

 

2004 : Home Office Report – ChangeUp – Capacity Building and Infrastructure Framework for the Voluntary and Community Sector

This report outlined the idea of the ChangeUp programme, a framework for addressing the problems outlined in the HM Treasury Cross Cutting Review in 2002.

Ten year vision (to 2014) is set out to build the capacity of frontline organisations and out in place the infrastructure support they need.

 

2004 to April 2006: Launch of the ChangeUp programme

Substantial government investment was made available throughout
2004-2006 to help achieve the ChangeUp vision and fund some of the key actions.

This investment came from the Home Office and was coordinated through the nine regional Government Offices, who were charged with setting up consortia, by bringing stakeholders together in strategic partnerships at regional, sub-regional and local levels.

Nationally, investment enabled the creation of six hubs of expertise; these were partnerships of national infrastructure organisations working together to deliver more coordinated support for infrastructure organisations on identified strategic areas of need.

 

April 2006 : Launch of Capacitybuilders

In 2005 the Home Office decided that the management of the ChangeUp programme could be better delivered by an organisation which was at arms length from government, sector-led, and would “take on the challenges of ChangeUp and ensure that the step-change required in the delivery of support to front line voluntary and community sector organisations is realised.” “Developing Capacity: Next Steps for ChangeUp” , Home Office, March 2005 .

Capacitybuilders was set up in April 2006 and took over responsibility for the management of the ChangeUp programme and inherited the ChangeUp programmes and delivery structures set up under the Home Office.

 

July 2007 : HM Treasury Third Sector Review

The government’s final report of its review of the third sector, setting out a strategy to work with third sector organisations over the next ten years to promote social and economic regeneration.

 

October 2007 : HM Treasury Comprehensive Spending Review

The conclusion of the Comprehensive Spending Review confirmed the resources available to the Office of the Third Sector to implement the policy porgrammes originally set out in the Third Sector Review.

Key Documents