Capacitybuilders - Improving support for a stronger third sector

Demonstrating to key stakeholders the benefits of support services for frontline organisations

New framework

2008/09 will be an important year to bed down the whole new framework of the national suport services and consortia, and throughout this time period we will devote resources to supporting and monitoring the process.

Activities	By	Progress/Milestones
Communications and influencing strategy: audiences, messages and channels.	Ongoing	Engage public sector partners in debate about future support for the sector. Status: In progress. See public sector engagement strategy in our Corporate Plan.
Prepare guidance material and deliver training for support providers on how to assess the outcomes of their work.	Ongoing	Greater potential for all agencies to communicate the evidence of benefits. Status: In progress. Learning programme to be developed. Outcome focused monitoring to be rolled out.
Examination of the costs and benefits of different models of support, and their current funding sources to develop indicative levels of investment.	September 2008	Benchmark costings for different levels of support provision. Status: In progress. Research priority.
Evaluation findings and other learning communicated in different formats, academic, third sector, public sector – reports, case studies; shared via the web and through conferences and seminars.	2008 / on-going	Active sharing of 'what works' and a body of authoritative work on support for third sector organisations.
Rounds two - four of annual evaluation studies.	January 2009, 2010, 2011	Clear picture of how support is improving and the benefits to frontline and impact on communities.